


With love

by LullaMasen



Category: IU (Musician), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: F/M, Idols, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 07:29:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 105,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23967658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LullaMasen/pseuds/LullaMasen
Summary: It started with a song, a simple but not so simple collaboration between two singers. Then it bloomed into something more meaningful. Can Ji Eun and Jungkook handle a relationship while still focusing on their careers?
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Lee Jieun | IU
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	1. Ballad

Breaking News: **_BTS Jungkook surprises fans with a new song featuring IU_**

_by Lia Park_

BTS Golden Maknae realized his dream by releasing a single with IU. 

« From Lily, with love » was released on all platforms yesterday and already became n°1 on Melon, Mnet and Naver. It is said that the song is on its way to do a « certified all kill ».

This is the first collaboration between IU and BTS. Jungkook has already expressed many times during past interviews his wish to record a song with his idol IU.

The ballad relates the longing between two lovers separated by the distance and unable to express their true feelings. « From Lily with love » which reminds us of a correspondence is all about love, doubt, awakening feelings, fear of commitment and abandonment. The melancholy and anguish are well expressed by the two singers amazing vocals. We are already anticipating the live performances by those two top Korean artists during concerts and award shows.

Can't wait to see more collaboration between BTS and IU! 

**COMMENTS**

@icequeen2000: OMG! I'm so happy for Kookie. Bet he's been waiting for this moment since his debut

@7ArmyBaguette : la collab de l'année !

@이나은 : Daebak :)

@xxfortniteslayer: Not exactly my type of song but their voices blended perfectly

@ueanarmyL : Kooku shippers where u at???#dreamcametrue #bestsongever

@goldenclosetfan: plz do a collab with Blackpink or Twice !!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Palette

Ji Eun tried to reach her phone on her nightstand. It was 5 am and she had to get up to go to a commercial shooting. Her fingers grazed the phone but they unfortunately prompted the device to land on the floor. She buried her head on her pillow to muffle her curse and finally found the resolve to get up. She had three unread messages and some notifications.

_**"Ji Eun unnie, congratulations for another all kill. I'm in Osaka right now but let's grab a coffee when you are free next week.** 😘 " **(Suzy)**_

**"** _**Will be a little late, too much traffic in Seongdong "** **(Hanteo)**_

**" _Noona, we were on the road to shoot Bon voyage BTS in Switzerland and I saw this painting of lily flowers in the market. I will bring it to you as a gift to celebrate the release of our duo. From JK, with love_ " _(Gukkie 🐰 )_**

She smiled seeing the messages and replied quickly to Suzy. She hesitated for a minute about what to send to Jungkook but finally settled on **" _That was so thoughtful of you. I can't wait to see it for real. Gomaweo! From Lily, with love_ "**

There was no reply after that though she already imagined his goofy grin. 

The image brought a small smile to her face. 


	3. Dream glow

_**4 months ago - BigHit Entertainment Headquarters, Seoul** _

"Everyone please stand in position. Hana, dul, set let's go! V and Jimin you slowly come to the front to sing. Suga and JK in the middle for the serpent. Jin and RM one knee on the floor please, you slowly lift your left hand, head to the right. Everyone stand up. Ok guys that was the easiest part. We will take a break and then we will rehearse the chorus part. See you in 10 minutes! " the choreographer stopped the music.

Suga groaned and lied on the floor. "Give me some water please"

"Watch out! " Jimin threw a bottle of water which the young blonde easily caught. Meanwhile the others were sitting on the bench or checking on their phones. Their manager Sejin entered the dance studio.

"Good morning to my favorite boyband! How are you doing today? " He asked cheerfully

" Hi Sejin hyung! Not so bad, thanks. However, Yoongi has still not yet recovered from his cold. " replied Jin

Jungkook finally looked up from the game on his phone. "Hyung did you win the lottery? You are not usually this cheerful in the morning. "

"Yeah!" Taehyung agreed.

"Jinja? Can't I greet you happily for once?" He chuckled. "Well you are right, I'm very happy because we received an unique proposal of collaboration last night. I think you will love me even more after this Jungkook. This letter is your lottery ticket." Sejin waved the paper in the air and laughed when he caught Hoseok trying to read the content from his seat.

"Well, a top chart korean singer contacted us through her agency to propose a collab."

"Stop with the suspens hyung, I'm dying to know" the maknae was fidgeting on his chair

"IU wants to write a song with BTS. She specifically asked for Jungkook to sing with her. " Sejin announced with pride and excitement.

A loud cheer was heard from all the members. Jungkook was speechless. He didn't know if he should dance or cry in happiness. IU sunbaenim and Gdragon sunbaenim were among the artists who inspired him to join the entertainment industry. Their music and their artistic talents had grown over the years. He respected and admired them so much. He sang IU's "Lost Child" during his audition and was approached by 7 agencies including Big Hit. Now that he was an adult, he couldn't imagine what his life would have been if he hadn't auditioned for SuperstarK. He wouldn't have met his hyung, nor would have achieved everything he did today. His eyes teared up while thinking about all the love he received from Armys. 13 years old Jungkook had so many dreams that seemed unreachable then. At 23, the reality was exceeding his expectations: from sold out tours around the world to the Grammy, the recognition in South Korea and by international artists and the preparation of his own songs. Now another dream will come true through this collaboration with IU sunbaenim. His heartbeat was increasing. Sometimes, he wondered when will he wake up from this dream, what have he done in his previous life to deserve this?

Taehyung and Jimin were hugging him tight.

" Our dongsaengie will finally sing with the woman of his dreams. I'm not crying, you're crying" sniffed Taehyung

"I can't believe it" Hoseok said while throwing joyfully his towel in the air

"I suddenly feel so much better now, I'm not sick anymore!" the others laughed at Yoongi's statement.

"Jungkook, gwenchana? " inquired Namjoon

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just so happy, I don' t know how to react" he answered, tears threatening to fall.

All the members gathered around him for a group hug while Sejin watched them with a happy smile. They sure have grown up a lot, worked hard and went through many hardships to build this unbreakable bond.


	4. First official meeting

Credits: ijkooku (on instagram)

**4 months ago**

Ji Eun was a bit nervous. She didn't really know where the cramps in her stomach came from. Maybe it was due to her lack of sleep these past two days. Maybe it was because she didn't want her meeting with BTS to be awkward and filled with silence or nervous smiles. They met several times in the past at award shows and Music Bank even though their interactions were short and very formal. She was aware of Jungkook's nickname as her n°1 fanboy in the industry. She found it cute, well... she had to admit that she found him very cute too. But why was she giving too much thought on this? She tried to clear her mind and reminded herself this was just another professional meeting between artists. She has been in this industry for more than 10 years. She could handle it. Still, it would be great if her hands would stop fidgeting.

"Please come this way" the waitress guided her to a secluded room. Her bodyguard and manager made sure no one saw her entering the restaurant. Paparazzi had informants everywhere nowadays.

BTS members stood up and bowed to her when she entered the room.

" Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Lee JiEun, it's nice to meet you all again"

"Hello, we are Bangtan Boys" they greeted in unison. She bowed back and took a seat beside the man she knew as the leader of the group.

"First of all, I would like to thank you for meeting me and for accepting the collaboration. Even though this is not the first time we see each other, I hope we will all be more comfortable and learn to know each other from now on.

"IU sunbaenim, we are truly honored to work with you. As we told you in our previous meeting, we all love your music and dramas." RM spoke on the behalf of his fellow members.

"Thank you" her cheeks were red. "I followed you throughout the years and I'm really impressed by the evolution of your career. You are taking Korean music to another level and made it known all over the world. Congratulation for your Billboard award, American Music Awards and Grammy performance. It was amazing. I felt so proud to be Korean even though as an artist I was a bit envious."

Suga was smiling shily. Jungkook and Jhope couldn't hold back their huge grins.

"Gamsahamnida IU sunbaenim" they said. Despite their huge popularity, Ji Eun knew that the boys remained humble and down to earth. She was aware that their schedule must have been as hectic as hers. Their stage performances were always full of energy and charisma. They worked hard and undoubtedly made so many sacrifices to get where they were today. Their dedication to their job and fans were something she highly respected.

"You can call me Ji Eun. Which one of you is older than me? "

" Jin and Suga" replied Jungkook and their eyes met for the first time since her arrival. His eyes were shining with joy. He gave a bright smile that made her heart skip a beat.

"That's great! I hope we will soon be comfortable enough to call each other oppa and noona"

They started to order food and the topic of the writing of the song and its production came quickly.

Their respective manager Sejin and Hanteo explained the decisions taken by BigHit Entertainment and Edam Entertainment about the production of two songs : one pop song co-written by BTS and IU that will be part of their 8th album and one ballad with only IU and Jungkook that will be released on IU's upcoming album. 

"I am finishing soon the shooting of a movie. The preparation of my new album will begin at the end of this month. I wanted to work with you because I love your last album Map of the soul 7. The concepts and symbolisms behind every song and videoclip were amazing. I know it's never easy to address such issues in this industry which is why I appreciated your openness about your struggles and feelings as artists and as human beings in your songs. I felt close to you when I listened to the songs because I went through similar experiences. So when IU team reunited to talk about my next album and we mentioned the subject of growing up and finding the way to love yourself, Bangtan Sonyeondan was the first thing that came to my mind. It was something I addressed with Palette and wanted to pursue again. My agency also thought it would be great to include a duet in the album." Her eyes found Jungkook's and tried to hold his gaze.

"Jungkook-shi your cover of Ending scene made me think that our voice and style could blend very well for a ballad. I would be happy if we worked together on a song." His eyes widened for a second before replying

" It would be an honor Ji Eun sunbaenim" She nodded, tucked her hair behind her ears hoping that her cheeks were not bright red.

They settled on a schedule and organized future meetings in the studio. The rest of the time was spent enjoying the delicious dishes. She learned that Taehyung was a close friend of Park Seo Joon with whom she starred in Extreme Job. She thanked Jungkook for the foodtrucks he sent to his friend Yeo Jin Goo and the Hotel del Luna cast. Jimin and Jungkook were fighting over the last fishcakes. Ji Eun enjoyed the way they seemed so close to each other. She had of course her team and close friends, Inna was like a big sister and related a lot to what she was experiencing. However it would have been nice to share the ups and downs with people that you knew will always have your back. 

" As IU's album will be released before BTS, our priority is to write and record the duet". Sejin said to the group

" Jungkook-shi if you are free tomorrow, we could start briefing about the theme, the lyrics and the melody. I will bring my guitar." Ji Eun suggested

"That would be great! Can I have your number? " 

She blinked, mind blank for a few seconds. He seemed to have noticed her surprise and hesitation.

" Hummm, yeah I... I need your number so I could give you the details about our meeting tomorrow and exchange ideas about the song, obviously" he said while rubbing his neck. Her brain finally decided to react. 

"Oh of course" they exchanged their numbers and finished their meal in awkward silence. She wanted to slap herself for acting so embarrassed and jumping to other conclusion. She was an adult for God's sake, she should stop reacting like an embarrassed teenage girl in front of a crush. Inna and Jiyeon would laugh at her if they saw her right now. 

Jin decided to break the silence by asking her details about her movie "Extreme job". When it was time to go, they thanked each other. Before leaving the restaurant, Jungkook stopped in front of her, a bit unsure of what to say. 

" I look forward to see you tomorrow Ji Eun sunbaenim. I really am." his voice was laced with contained excitement. He bowed again before giving her shy smile. 

Fuck, she could already see how easy it will be to fall for his charms. 


	5. A good day

Ji Eun was running around her house, unsure about what to wear for her working session with Jungkook.   
  
"I'm late, ahhhh that's so unprofessional! I lost too much time choosing what I should wear. Anyway, what should it matter?" she berated herself. But it mattered because some part of herself wanted to give a good impression and to feel pretty. 

  
In the end Ji Eun picked an oversized light purple hoodie with a thin shirt underneath it and blue ripped jeans.

Her manager Hanteo came at 9 am to drive her to Big Hit's studio. Jungkook was already waiting for her inside the studio. After greeting each other, they settled on the couch to begin the writing of the song.   
  
Jungkook wore a long-sleeved dark shirt and black jeans.

The first 10 minutes was a bit awkward. The young man seemed shy, almost embarrassed to look her in the eye and to talk to her. She didn't either what kind of conversation they should have.   
  
"Humm maybe we should start about getting to know each other better" she suggested   
  
"Yeah, that's a good idea. Do you want to play 20 questions?"  
  
"OK I'll start: when and where were you born? "  
  
" I was born Sept. 1, 1997 in Busan. I moved to Seoul when I was 14 to become a trainee and attended School of Performing Arts Seoul. "  
  
" We debuted at the same age. I was eager to sing on stage, release an album and be famous. Now that I think about it, I was too young to face the cruelty of the music industry. It made me who I am today but sometimes I just want my normal life back. I'm tired of always being careful about what I say, how I behave, about what I eat and wear. It's stressing me out. You understand what I feel, don't you? "

Jungkook's black hair fell in his eyes when he nodded. His left hand quickly brushed the strand back.

She didn't know where came the need to open up about this issue. It had bothered her for so many years. Ji Eun knew Jungkook was able to understand. She didn't want to sound ungrateful to the opportunities and privileges this life brought to her. However success had a cost, sacrifices a 15 years old trainee could not fully grasp.   
  
"You know, I sang _Lost child_ to my first audition at SuperstarK. I wasn't selected but 7 agencies contacted me after it. So I just wanted to say Thank you. Your songs mean a lot to me. " His ears were bright red and his eyes a bit misty.   
Amidst her turmoil, Jungkook tried to give her comforting words. Ji Eun felt a strong desire to reach out to him. She sat closer to him and touched his arm.  
  
"I am deeply touched that my music somehow contributed to help you realize your dreams. " 

He was smiling again, though his ears were still red. It was cute. There was silence after that. She got back to her previous position on the couch.

Jungkook was the one who rekindled the conversation.  
" So Ji Eun sunbaenim what do you wanted to do when you were young? "  
  
" As long as I remember, I've always wanted to be a singer. What about you? "  
  
" I wanted to be a badminton player. My dream changed when I saw Gdragon sunbaenim on TV. Now it's very hard to imagine another path. " Ji Eun nodded in understanding. It was complicated to think about doing a normal job because she didn't have a diploma, experiences nor manual skills.  
  
" Maybe when I will retire, I would love to be a tattoo artist or to own a restaurant. "   
  
"A tattoo artist? Jinja, I would have never thought that about you! "  
  
"Yeah, I love drawing and I got some tattoos done last year and I loved the process. "  
He pushed up his sleeves to show the different tattoos on his arms. She had only noticed the tattoos on his fingers. The tattoos that covered his arm were impressive and incredibly attractive.   
  
" This one looks like a lily flower. Did you know that my English name is Lily? "  
  
"Yeah, I was aware. It's a tiger flower, which represents my birth month. But I think now it will always remind me of you: an eternal lily flower"  
  
That was cheesy but damn it was entrancing. Jungkook must have realized the implication of what he said and became very flushed. 

She chose an easier question to save him from further embarrassment.   
  
" What is your favorite food?"   
  
" Oh I can eat everything with meat. Right now my favorite dish is lamb skewer and kimchi"  
  
" You're going to laugh. I have grandma's taste when it comes to food. I really love raw fish, liver and tripes. "  
  
" Ugh, I'm going to reconsider what I said, I love every meat except tripes. I can't eat that. Jin hyung loves it." They laughed together and it felt so right.   
  
"What is your favorite animal?" He asked  
  
" Bunnies and cats. And yours? "  
  
" Bunnies and dogs. " He showed her some pictures and videos of his dog Gureum.   
  
"He's so cute, fluffy like a cloud"  
  
"He's living with my parents right now. I'm sad I can't see him that often. I travel too much. I miss him, I miss my family."   
  
" Do you have a small or big family?"   
  
" I got an older brother Jeon Jung Hyun. He just finished his military service."  
  
" There's only two of us too. I have a younger brother Lee Jong Hoon, he is one year older than you. My family went through difficult times when we were young so we became really close when we lived with our grandma. He studied in the United States because he didn't want to cause troubles for my career in Korea. I came to see him a few times in San Diego and Los Angeles but I missed him a lot during those years. Thank God I had a busy schedule so I could think less about it."   
  
They shared some snacks left by the staff for them.   
  
" If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Jungkook asked her  
  
"Hummm I don't know. Right now, my answer would be France. I would love to explore Paris and the south of France. But if you ask me the same question next month, I would probably say the Maldives."   
  
" Yeah, Paris is so beautiful. My dream destination is Iceland so I could see the aurora borealis. "  
  
"OK, we have to work on the song. Our company will not like it if we talk all day. Let's finish with 3 or 4 questions. Let me think about it. Hmmm... how do you like to spend your free time?" Ji Eun asked  
  
" Drawing, singing, writing songs, playing videogames, editing videos. It's mostly about our trips abroad. "

He showed her two videos he uploaded for Golden Closet Film. They shared a laugh at the Bangtan Boys antics. Ji Eun commented on some of her favorite locations in Tokyo and Osaka.   
  
" Thank you, that was fun to watch. I didn't know you had so many skills. I guess they were right to call you Golden maknae. Well for my part, I spend a lot of time playing guitar and writing on my diary. I brought my guitar today, what song to you want to sing right now? "   
  
" Through the night " Jungkook replied with excitement while Ji Eun tuned her guitar.   
  
" Ok, I'm ready, hana, dul, set" She sang the first verse while Jungkook did the second verse. Their voices harmonized for the chorus and the rest of the song.   
  
**Eotteohge naege**  
 **Geudaeran haenguni on geolkka**  
 **Jigeum uri hamkke issdamyeon**  
 **A eolmana joheulkkayo**  
  
 **(How did someone like you come to me?**  
 **If only we could be together right now**  
 **How nice would it be)**  
  
She did not miss the brightening of his eyes, neither the very subtle, happy lift of his mouth when he sang that part.   
  
**Naui ilgijang ane**  
 **Modeun mareul**  
 **Da kkeonaeeo jul sun eopsjiman**  
 **Saranghandaneun mal**  
  
 **( I can't take out a** **ll the things written in my diary**  
 **But this means that I love you)**  
  
He had a golden voice, very smooth but could hit easily the high notes. She smiled brightly at him.   
  
" Daebak! We did really well Jungkook-ssi. I love the sound of our voice together."   
  
" Jeongmal gamsahabnida" he gently bowed   
  
" Do you often write on your diary?"  
  
"Yeah, my diary is my confident, it held all my feelings and secrets. I note random things or ideas for future songs. Sometimes I write unsent letters. It's sad that people don't write handwritten letters to each other anymore." She sighed. " Anyway I usually write in my diary whenever I feel sad, happy or scared."   
  
Jungkook looked at her again with his curious eyes.  
  
"Ji Eun sunbaenim, what is your biggest fear?" 

It was an unexpected question, one that left her pensive. She took her time to answer.   
  
" A few years ago it was to lose the people I love. And then Jonghyun, Sulli and Hara were gone so suddenly. It was very painful, and I felt so useless because I failed as a friend, three times. "

She couldn't hold her tears. No matter how many months and years went by, this particular wound was still open. She could never get over their deaths and her guilt.

This time Jungkook was the one who came closer and held her hand.  
  
" Mianheyo, I just realized I crossed a line. I shouldn't have asked such a personal question."

She definitively did not miss the flutter in her chest when he squeezed her fingers lightly.  
  
" It's okay, now that I know what the pain feels like, I'm no longer afraid of it. I will be fine, don't worry."  
  
" I can't imagine what it would feel to lose members of the group and my family. I don't know if I could go on without them. I admire your courage and strength Ji Eun sunbaenim. If you feel the need to talk to someone about it or discuss about any other subjects, I would be happy to listen to you without any judgements. I will also try my best to cheer you up. "   
Jungkook looked concerned but finally smiled gently at her.   
  
" Gamsahabnida" She sincerely meant it.   
  
" Yoongi hyung always reminded us that even if we are idols, we should not forget to live for ourself and to take time to heal our soul. I agree with him however I still struggle to handle the pressure and expectations. I feel like I must be perfect all the time. I don't know any more who is the real me because I can't separate him from the Jungkook who people want to be the "golden maknae". We work too much and some days I'm just tired. But at the same time, I really love what I do, and I don't want to stop trying to do my best. My greatest fear is to disappoint those who loves me and believes in me. "

"I know it's easier said than done, but you should not be too hard on yourself. From what I saw today, you are a talented and hard working person who deserve everything he got today. You did well. As long as you put your heart into it, no matter the results, you should always be proud of yourself. "  
  
Their hands were still intertwined. Ji Eun realized she didn't want to let it go. 


	6. Dimple

Ji Eun sunbaenim was holding his hand. Jungkook’s heart was beating so fast. Her small and delicate fingers were intricated with his tattooed ones. It felt so right, he wished that time would stop so they could stay that way forever.

When he came to the studio this morning, he had focused on working hard on the song with his sunbae. Holding her hand only a few hours later seemed a scenario that didn’t even cross his mind. Even in the dramas he loved to watch, the characters never went this far this fast. Well, he wasn’t going to complain since he was totally fine with the outcome.

Don’t smile like an idiot, he said to himself. Please don’t make a fool of yourself, just for once.

Ji Eun was still looking at their hands. He cleared his throat.

“Hmmm. Do this make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry, I…”

Her answer was quick: “Anyo, it’s okay, I mean I don’t mind, it kinda feels nice.” Her cheeks were bright red. She couldn’t be cuter.

She said their hands together felt nice, wow, wow, his brain did a short circuit. How should he deal with the information she just gave? He took a deep breath to muster enough courage.

“I’m glad you think that way. For years, I wanted to be closer to you, now that it’s happening, it feels like I was right to hope all along. I feel connected to you in a way I never felt with anyone else before. To be honest, I’m a bit scared of how fast it escalated and what it means. However, right now, I’m just happy and I want to enjoy it as long as I can, as long as you allow me to feel that way.” 

He sat closer to her; her hand still locked in his. 

“Aigoo, why do you make it so simple to fall for you?” She whined.

“Well they don’t call me Golden maknae for nothing”. They laughed together.

“You are right, let’s bask in this happy mood and see where it takes us. Step by step. “

Ji Eun looked at the clock in the studio.

“Omo, it’s already 1 pm! How about we go to lunch and then come back to work on the song. I’m afraid our CEO will kill us if we don’t progress on the song.”

Their managers brought their meals in a private dining room within Big Hit’s building.

“We have a big cafeteria for the staff in the first floor. Everyone is very discreet, but I figured you wanted a quieter place to eat. We use this room quite often and it has a nice view over Seoul.”

“Thank you, I don’t like crowded place.” She replied while taking a seat in front of him.

They talked about his recent business trip in the US and her new movie while eating.

“ We were in the waiting room and then Alicia Keys and HER came to greet us. I was over the moon.”

“ That’s amazing !!! I love their musics. Have you seen my cover of Best part? “

Jungkook nodded   
“ We should sing it together next time”

He enjoyed their duet this morning. _Through the night_ was one of his favorite song. The lyrics hit something deep in him. They were lonely nights when he listened to IU's song and thought about sending fireflies and letters to confess about his feelings. He vowed to write her handwritten notes whenever he could. Step by step, he reminded himself, he's going to court her.

They came back to the studio. Ji Eun was talking to her bodyguard. He made use of her moment of distraction to write a first note.   
He glanced at the door to see if she was coming back. He hid the letter in his pocket and took her guitar in his hands.

He started guitar courses with a private music teacher a year ago. Due to his busy schedule, he didn’t really have time to practice outside of his courses. He tried from time to time to play some songs, but he couldn’t finish one completely. He struggled to pick up speed while moving from the difficult chords to another.

Ji Eun closed the door and bowed to him.   
“I’m sorry for making you wait; it took longer than expected. My bodyguard said I must leave at 4 pm to be on time for a press conference tonight. We shall work faster to make a good progress on the song. Mianheyo! I am free next week on wednesday or saturday if you want to schedule another working session. “

“Don’t worry, it’s fine, we will work hard for the remaining 2 hours. I don’t remember my schedule. I will ask my manager. I will text you tonight about the date of the meeting."

“Okay ! Do you play guitar too? ”

“I’m learning but I’m not very good at it “ Jungkook tried to play some basic chords.

“The teachers always advise us to focus first on chords because it is fundamental to write songs. I will share with you my secret weapon. Actually, you can sound good if you figure out the key of the song, it will be the first or last chord and then play notes from a scale that match the key. “

Ji Eun showed him how to do it with A minor. She leaned closer, her hair brushing against his face, and positioned his fingers on the strings. She smelled like mimosas; it was divine.

They tried several chord progressions in A minor for their song. They recorded the melody to give it to the songwriter and producers to see if they have ideas to complete the song.

The next part was the lyrics. He rubbed his neck; it was a shame his mind was blank right now. He wanted to impress her with his songwriting skills. Ottoke? (What should I do?)

“Jungkook-ssi, gwenchana? Your dimples show when you bit your lips. Gwiyeopseumnida (It’s cute)"

His treacherous ears were red again. She said once in an interview that she liked guys with dimples and eye smiles. Breaking news: he had both.

OK, he needed to calm down. Just because he checked some of her ideal type’s characteristics, it didn’t mean he could win her over. But she gave him the right signals, didn’t she? Hmmm step by step? What does it imply? How should he act? A long conversation about girls was necessary with Jin hyung.

“Jeon Jungkook-ssi? “

“I am sorry, I was lost in my thoughts.”

Concentrate on the song, stay professional, time is running out.  
“What kind of feelings do you want to convey through the song? “he inquired

“Mainly loneliness and longing with something hopeful maybe at the end.”

They exchanged ideas for 30 minutes before she had to leave. He wanted to spend more time with her especially now that they were more “comfortable “ with each other.

His sad puppy eyes followed her as she gathered her things around the studio.

“ I’ll text you tonight about our next meeting. “

“ Sure, thank you ” she smiled at him.

His hands were fidgeting in his pocket. Ok JK, time to man up, you can do it! He gave himself a mental pep talk.

“ Ji Eun sunbaenim, I have something for you.” He handed the note

“ What is this? “

“ It’s an handwritten letter. You can open it only when you got home tonight. I will give you one letter every time we see each other, until you tell me stop. “ He managed to say it confidently and with his most charming smile.

She was very surprised for a few seconds before grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“ Gamsahabnida Jeon Jungkook-ssi"

Ji Eun placed a light kiss on his right cheek precisely where his dimple was.

Later when he came home and his hyungs asked him about his day with IU, all he could reply was " It went better than in my dreams. "


	7. Heart

"Finally home" Ji Eun groaned while taking her heels off and throwing them next to her bed. It was past midnight. There was a cocktail after the press conference.

"Aish, this dress is too tight" she squirmed to get the white dress off. After a well deserved bath and her nightly skin routine, she finally made it to her bed.

She hurried to open the letter Jungkook wrote to her.

"Jeon Jungkook, stop making my heart flutter"

Why does he have to be so charming? How was she supposed to be indifferent when he made such effort to please her?   
She didn't reject him because she wanted him to like her. He made her feel little butterflies in the stomach.   
Would it be so bad to start something with him? Yes...No...Things will be complicated. She won't get involved in another scandal. He was risking his career.

" Otoke?"

She really needed to call Yoo Inna but she was probably already asleep. She texted her anyway, this is an emergency.

" **Unnie, are you awake? I'm in deep sh*** right now** "

She read again Jungkook's letter while waiting for the reply. Yoo Inna thankfully called her.

" Yaaah, what have you done? Are you okay?" She shouted over the phone

" Please calm down Inna, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something important"

" Aigooo, Ji Eunie pabo, don't scare me like that again! What happened? "

" You know I mentionned a collaboration with Bangtan Sonyeondan. Well I spent the day with Jungkook working on our duet. "

" Hmmm.. wait.. Jungkook as the one who is your fanboy.. the sexy cutie with the tatoos and bunny teeth? "

" Yahh don't describe him like that" Ji Eun said a bit offended and embarrassed

" Ok, ok, so I guess something happened?"

" Yoo Inna you know I believe in love at first sight. We had a great day. We talked about many personal things. We understand each other so well and he's so handsome that I'm always blushing like a teenager. And he has those lovesick eyes when he looks at me. And and...I..I.. don't know how to say it. " She panicked a little at the end

" Omo, so you kinda like him?"

" I think I'm slowly falling for him." Ji eun admitted. "Is it a bad thing? Is it too fast?"

" Well, if you have crush on him, there's nothing you can do about it right now. I saw some interviews of him talking about you. You are his ideal type. He seemed to admire you a lot. Why not give it a go? "

" What if he is disappointed by the real me? How will it affect our career?" Ji Eun asked tears threatning to fall.

" Relax Ji Eun ah, take your time to figure it out. You are both on the " we have a mutual crush" stage. No one is talking about dating yet. It's been a while since your last relationship so just go at your rythm. Don't push him away but just be careful with your heart. Ok? "

" Ne, thank you Inna unnie, you're the best!"

" Don't forget to enjoy your life Ji Eun ah, you're still so young. When love knocks on your door, you should at least invite it inside and see if it deserves to stay and be nurtured or if it must leave. " Yoo Inna said gently

" You're gonna make me cry. Saranghaeyo"

" You're welcome, let me have my beauty sleep now."

" Goodnight"

Inna was right, Ji Eun should try to give it a chance. She was tired of always thinking about consequences. Her relationship with Jang Kiha lasted 4 years because for once she listened to her heart and tried to enjoy her life.

Consequences be damned! She didn't want to miss a beautiful opportunity to love and be loved. 

Her mind seemed more at ease now. Jungkook texted her three hours ago about their next meeting. Her answer was polite then. She hoped he wasn't disappointed by it.

She sent him a new text at 1 am.

  
" **Goodnight Jeon Jungkook. Thank you for the letter** 💜💌✨🎸🌺" with a picture refering to _Through the Night_ that they sang together earlier.

She decided to update her SNS before sleeping.   
The following day, she checked Instagram to see the reaction to her last post. She hoped Jungkook saw it.

...................................................  
Credit   
Video : Kooku fams   
Instagram post, letter : me


	8. Zero O'clock

_3 months before the release of the duet_

11:45 pm

Lying on his bed after a tiring day of dance practice, Jungkook was finally able to open his text messages. He got excited everytime his phone was chirping, he sincerely hoped it was another text from Lee Ji Eun. They got closer over the previous weeks: texting and calling each other late at night. His entire being got warmer when he thought about her. They got along pretty well now. 

The song was progessing. She was also more responsive to his seduction attempts. His hyungs were very helpful with their advices. Well most of them, Jimin enjoyed teasing him, as if he was more experienced than the maknae when it came to dating. He shook his head. 

Oh he got a text ! 

Daebak!! He jumped on his bed. He calmed down and replied back. 

He went to bed with a big smile on his face. That night, he dreamt of her and of them together. 


	9. Friday date

**_2 months before the release of the duet_ **

Ji Eun was hiding behind her blanket, sick with a cold. She was sad because she couldn't go the IU fan meeting scheduled tomorrow. Her bodyguard, who worked from time to time for BTS, gave her a letter and a package from Jungkook. She opened it to find a beige scarf made in wool.

She read the letter one more time before calling him.

" Yobseo? "

" Hello Jeon Jungkook-ssi! How are you? "

" Hello noona, I'm fine, thanks. I should be the one asking about your health. "

" I've still not fully recovered but I feel better now"

" Good " there was a silence as he was waiting for her to explain why she called

" I got your letter and the scarf..." she said carefully, the tension in the air was thick.

" I am free Friday night, so if you are available, you can pick me up at 8 pm. I live in the Raemian Caelitus building in Yongsang-gu. I will wear a nice dress, just for you."

She was met with his silence again.

" Jungkook-ssi? " she asked with a little voice, a bit worried. Please say something!

" I...I'm just speechless, sorry, I...well...I will be at your house Friday at 8 o'clock."

"Okay, see you soon" Ji Eun ended the call to bury her face in her giant teddy bear. She screamed in excitement and texted Yoo Inna about her incoming date. She needed advice to find the right dress.

..............................................................................................................................

It took her one hour and half to get ready. Yoo Inna dressed her in a gorgeous Gucci dress, a black dress with a fitted bodice that went up around her neck. It was sexy but still classy. The light pink fabric in the back added a sophisticated waif look. Inna insisted it was important to appear sexy and confident but with a little touch of pink to make her girly because she had a date with an younger man. Ji Eun was not a fashion expert like her best friend and was not in the mood to contradict so she let the comment pass. She did her make up twice because the first time she messed up with the mascara. Inna styled her hair in loose waves.

At 8'02, Jungkook called her to say he was in a van in front of the building.

"Bye unnie, thank you for your help, wish me luck"

"Fighting Ji Eunie!"

Ji Eun grabbed her purse and hat, hurriedly checked her look on the mirror and then made her way to the parking. The advantage of living in one of Seoul's top priced building was their privacy and security policy. Any landlord could sue the building management society if some photos, paparazzi or personal information were leaked within the building. Only authorized car could enter the parking. She had to confirm on an app on her phone who could enter in the building.

She was relieved when she spotted a black van with smoked glass. His bodyguard was driving. Jungkook stayed in the back on the van to avoid being seen by curious eyes. His eyes shined when they greeted each other.

" You look beautiful noona"

" Thank you. You look good too, I think your natural hair color suits you the most." His black hair matched with the black suit he wore.

" So where are we going? "

" Have you heard about the french restaurant Touch the sky? I booked a private room there."

" No I've never been there but I'm happy to taste French dishes. Thank you for all this."

"Wait until you see what I've prepared for you." That comment sparked her curiosity. What is he planning?

They entered the building through the backstage door. The restaurant security escorted them in the staff elevator and the 58th floor. Jungkook wore a mask and a black hat. She felt like Jang Man Wol or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany with her black dress, her black capeline and big sunglasses.

The room he booked offered a magnificent view over Seoul and the Han River. She noticed the flowers and lit candles around the room. A beautifully decorated table for two was put in the middle.

"Jung mal yeppeuda" she whispered. It was really nice.

Jungkook grabbed something in the counter behind him: it was a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Beautiful flower for a beautiful lady"

"Gamsahamnida, I really appreciate it" she managed to say despite her excitement. 

Jungkook was delated by her response; his joy made her heart grow fonder.

The waiter came with the menu. They bickered about the meals and what they should try.

" I'm not ready to eat snails" she said

" Why not? You like beondegi (roasted silkworm) and sannakji (raw octopus tentacles). What's weirder than that? "

" Are you saying that I have bad taste in food? " she feigned an offended expression that made him laugh

" All I'm saying is you are an adventurous woman who shouldn't be afraid to eat snails when she can take down octopuses and worms. I tried them in Paris, it's really delicious."

" Well, since you sound like an expert, I'll try the snails, but I'll be mad at you for the rest of my life if it's awful." They laughed again. In the end, they added the Shellfish Risotto with Abalone, Fresh Truffle and the steak with vegetables to their orders.

The waiter served two glasses of Chateau Petrus Pomerol. They clinked their glasses to their upcoming duet and their first date.

" So what's your plan for your birthday? " Jungkook asked her while eating their dinner's first course

" My staff, Yoo Inna, Suzy and Jiyeon are preparing a birthday surprise. I don't know what it is or where it will be. I'm surprised they managed to keep the details a secret. I try from time to time to snoop for clues. Anyway, what are you doing next week? " She couldn't help her hopeful tone even if she knew he was very busy.

" We'll shoot a car commercial in Osaka. Then we'll come back in South Korea to record an episode of Run BTS in Hahoe Village."

"That's cool, I've never been in Hahoe. I heard they still perform a shamanistic rite to honour the communal spirits of the village. It would be very interesting to watch."

"I'll send you pictures! Look, the waiter is bringing the snails"

Ji Eun picked the littlest fork and picked the green stuff in the shell and ate it. It was surprisingly delicious!

" So???How is it? " Jungkook was eager to hear her thoughts

" Well, it's not that bad!"

" What? Just not bad, that's all? He made a comical face

She laughed again. "I'm kidding, It's delicious." He seemed relieved now and poured another glass of red wine.

The evening went well, he was funny and playful with a sweet affable quality that she liked very much. He seemed to be enjoying himself too. His handsome face lit up every time she made a joke or smiled. She kept him talking about his hobbies and his relationship with the other BTS members. He listened to her stories about her friends, her parents and her staff.

The bottle of Chateau Petrus Pomerol was empty at the end of their dinner. She was a bit lightheaded and Jungkook was laughing even more than usual.

" Time for dessert" he said "I have a surprise for you" 

He made his way to the door and came back later with a cake. He turned off the light and started singing Happy birthday"

Ji Eun was speechless, he really went overboard for their first date but her romantic heart was soaring with joy. Jungkook placed the cake in front of her and she blew the unique candle while making a wish. She thanked her lucky star for bringing this man into her life and wished for him to remain in it forever because she was unquestionably in love with him.

" I know your birthday is next week but since I can't be with you on your special day, I still wanted to celebrate it with you and make our first date feel special. I brought you a birthday present. "

" Jinja? There's more?" She said in disbelief

When she unwrapped the rectangular gift, she saw a framed drawing of her face.

" You did this?" He nodded, a shy smile on his boyish face. She examined it: he did the sketch with a black pencil and pictured her with the scarf he gave her. They way he drew her eyes made them hauntingly beautiful. It wasn't perfect, she didn't need perfection. It felt authentic and full of emotions just like him. She wanted to cry because he made this beautiful sketch with his own hands, just for her. 

"I don't know what to say...I'm so touched by everything you did for me, touched by everything you are. Jeon Jungkook, thank you for making me feel loved. I think I'm overwhelmed by the way this thing between us feels so natural and evident. Please tell me that if I dive into this, everything's gonna be okay. I...I don't...my heart won't..."

The words died in her lips as his hand came up to touch her cheek. She came closer to him, he brushed a tentative kiss across her lips. It was the easiest thing in the universe to kiss him back with more intensity.

..............................................................................................................................

_Credits:_

_Restaurant photos: yogisoo (on instagram)_

_JK + IU edit : ijkooku (_ _on instagram)_

_IU Sketch : ashketchpa (on reddit)_


	10. Euphoria

This was not a dream, he reminded himself. Lee Ji Eun, his crush since he was 12, was kissing him. When his brain was trying to cope with this information, his lips seemed to move on their own. He pulled her head closer to deepen the kiss. They paused to take a breath. He finally opened his eyes to see that she was flushed. She bit her lower lips.

“Why are looking at me like that?” she asked a bit embarrassed

“ I had to make sure you were real and this is not the product of my imagination.”

“ Do you want me to kiss you again to prove it? “ He loved it when she was bold

“ Yeah, I’d like that” their lips touched briefly

“ Does this mean we are officially dating?” He suddenly asked in case he misunderstood the situation

“ Yeah Jeon Jungkook you’re my boyfriend now” Hearing her say that made him want to jump to the ceiling

“ I can’t believe Lee Ji Eun, the nation’s little sister, is my girlfriend”

“ Nobody call me that anymore.”

“ Well I’d rather hear that than nation’s fiancée”

“Omo, are you the jealous type? “

“ When it comes to what’s mine, the answer is yes.” He kissed her again after feeling an animalistic urge to claim her. She seemed to like his newfound fervor.

When the feeling passed and they were both breathless, Jungkook regained his senses and blushed hard.

“ Noona, I’m, I’m so…”

“Don’t you dare apologize. I like this side of you, the one who is sexy, manly and intense like when you perform on stage. I like it just as much as I like the Jungkook who is funny, considerate, shy and who looks at me as if I was the moon.”

The confession touched him deeply. He couldn’t find the right words to convey his feelings, so he did the first thing that came into his mind: he held her tightly against his chest. His heart was galloping at a fast pace.

Having her in his arms felt right. He could stay in that safe bubble forever. Here they were together freely, protected from the outside world. He didn’t want to think of the consequences tonight. He told himself he should at least enjoy this moment of euphoria.

They stayed like that for another round of seconds, he eventually released her. They finished their dessert, took a few photos and then he brought her home.

Jungkook didn’t leave the van to avoid any risk so he bid her goodbye in the car with a sweet kiss on her forehead.

He watched her go until she disappeared in the elevator and texted her goodnight.

……......…...............................

The house was noisy when he arrived. Yoongi was playing some tune on the piano, Taehyung and Jimin were in the middle of a League of Legends game. He didn’t know where the others were. Jungkook threw himself on the sofa.

“ Yah look’s who coming back from his date!! “ Tae yelled to the house’s occupants.

He heard hurried footsteps coming from the first floor. He was too dazed to laugh at their excitement over his love life. As expected Namjoon, Hoseok and Jin appeared in the living room. 

" So tell us what happened with all the details." Jimin urged

" But it's 1am, aren't you going to sleep ?"

Jin punched Jungkook face with a pillow.   
" Yah maknae! We all stayed awake and waited for you to come back from your date. You better bring good news!"

"What do you think happened? "  
Jungkook asked to stretch the suspens.

" Did you kiss?" asked Jimin

Jungkook just stared at them with a poker face, even if he was laughing inside

" Say something!" yelled Hoseok

" I'm sure they kissed" Yoongi said   
Jungkook was still silent

Taehyung grabbed his arms and asked Jimin and Hoseok to tickle Jungkook while Jin held the feet so he couldn't escape. He couldn't take it anymore. They all found it hilarious.

" Anyo, anyo, please stop, I surrender, yes we kissed" he admitted, still out of breath from laughing too much

" Whaaaaaat?"

" Jinjja?"

"Omo"

" Kyaaa I just lost 100 000 won" cried Namjoon. So his hyungs had a bet about what happened during his date with IU.

" Was it a real kiss or a quick bpobpo (peck on the lips)? "Taehyung raised his eyebrows suggestively. Oh that perv!

" It lasted a few seconds with a bit of tongue" Jungkook's ears were bright red when he confessed that detail

" Yes, Jin hyung is out too now. He was sure you were too shy to kiss her like that on the first date" Hoseok said

Jimin asked if they kissed more than once, which Jungkook confirmed. Taehyung jumped in victory while Jimin lied on the floor because he just lost the bet too.

Apparently Hoseok didn't think too Jungkook was capable of kissing IU multiple times during one date.

"Our maknae is a grown up! We raised him well " Jin was faking tears.

"Ok so that left Yoongi hyung and Taetae. The following question is the most important one" Namjoon began " Are you guys dating?"

The 6 boys were all gathered around Jungkook, waiting for his answer

He looked at them, waited a few seconds and then dropped the bomb.

" Yes, I'm officially her boyfriend now"  
A loud cheer was heard from all the members. They grabbed him, clumsily lifted him around the living room, chanting "JK, JK, JK". They finally put him back on his feet. Someone put Post Malone's song Congratulations on the speaker and they all danced to it.

In the end, Yoongi won all the money. Taehyung thought it would take a few more dates to finally see IU and JK become a couple. Well he was glad he was wrong.

They celebrated with a few more songs, some hugged him, others congratulated him.

He laughed at his hyungs craziness, himself feeling euphoric. Today he was more than thankful to life: he had everything he had desired, he was surrounded by love and brotherhood, he had the girl of his dream, people all around the world who gave him love.

Life couldn't be any better. He begged whoever was responsible for his good karma to make this euphoria last.


	11. Love poem

The days passed quickly. Ji Eun hadn't seen Jungkook since their date a week ago but they kept in touch via texts and facetimed from time to time. She got a cute text at midnight on her birthday. Her friends and staff prepared a party in a restaurant. Her parents, her grandma and her brother were also present. It was a wonderful night with her loved one to celebrate her 28th birthday.

Her beloved grandma asked her when she will think about settling down because the years were passing by quickly and she wanted to live to see her favorite granddaughter's children. Ji Eun was always uneasy with those topics. She understood why her grandma thought that way (with her conservative beliefs and worries about Ji Eun's happiness) but her career was so demanding. She couldn't and she didn't want to think about marriage and children right now. She tried her best to comfort her grandma by saying 28 was still a young age.

She eventually had to inform everyone present that she recently started dating someone and it was Jeon Jungkook from Bangtan Sonyeondan. It was necessary to inform IU team as they managed any repercussions to her career and because she didn't want to hide something positive in her life or lie to them. Her friends were very happy for her. Her father was a bit uneasy probably because he witnessed how her last break up affected her and he was afraid she might get hurt again. Her mother and grandmother insisted to meet the young man, which was just too soon, so she gently pushed the idea back.

She asked for their silence and discretion over the matter because it would make the news headlines.

She could sense the nervousness coming from her managers Hanteo and Jonghan. Two top idol and singers dating would for sure cause a big scandal in South Korea and even worldwide considering BTS's fame abroad. She was mostly afraid of the hate and criticism she will receive and the effects on Jungkook's career and well-being. Her staff has been supporting her for more than 10 years now, they would get over this together.

She sighed again, this was her 28th birthday, she should enjoy her day, without anticipating problems.

Jungkook facetimed her that night when he was still in Hanoe and she just came back from her birthday party. Just like he promised, he sent her several pictures of Hanoe: landscapes and photos showing "her handsome boyfriend" as he liked to call himself.

" Hello noona, happy birthday again!"

" Gomawo. I put your drawing next to my nightstand so I could think of you when I go to sleep and when I wake up"

" Ah that makes me so happy! " she loved his eyesmile

" Kookie-ah, you're so cute"

" Jieun-ah, you look so beautiful right now. I feel lucky to be your boyfriend."

" I love when you call me Jieun-ah. Should I call you jagiya? I feel like I should call you that when I want something. For example: jagiya, bogoshipda, when are you going to kiss me again?" Ji Eun playfully said with a cute pout.

Jungkook was laughing so hard, his phone was shaking

" Yah Kookie ah, why are you laughing at my aegyo?"

" Mianhe, I'm just not used seeing a girl being so bold. Jagiya, you're going to be the death of me. How can I sleep peacefully after that? "

" Well I'm not going to help you. If you're all I can think about at night, then I shall invade all your thoughts too." She found it so funny to tease him,

" Hmmm the way you said sounded more like a reward than a punishment"

" I can't wait to see you Monday." She was eager to spend time with him even if it's officially for work purpose. What he said next took her by surprise. 

" By the way, I have 3 days of holiday at the end of the month before going to Switzerland to film BTS Bon Voyage. Maybe...if you'd like it of course and if you're free...maybe...we could go somewhere on holiday. I've always dreamt of a weekend getaway with my ...my girlfriend. I don't have a precise place in mind but ...hmm I kind of need a break from all the work and....hmm.. I "

She cut his uneasiness by accepting his proposition with enthusiasm. 

" I'd love that! I'll ask Hanteo Oppa to clear my schedule. Ohh you know what ? I think I know where we could go! Lee Hyori unnie and her husband are travelling for one month in South America. I'm sure they would be happy to lend us their house in Gyeonggi-do. It's not far from Incheon. They have a huge garden and it's close to a quiet beach. It's a relaxing place!"

"That sounds nice. Then I'll let you contact her. " 

They talked and laughed until 3 am. She narrated in details her birthday party, her announcement to her family, friends and staff about their relationship. Jungkook hid his face in his pillow, completely mortified, when she said her mother and grandmother wanted to meet him and encouraged them to bless the family with babies. Even if his reaction was funny, she was relieved to see that he was also not ready for that step yet.

He quickly changed the subject by saying he also notified Big Hit Entertainment's managers about it. Jungkook confessed he was mostly scared about Bang PD-nim's reaction but it went well. They just had to be really careful until the proper time to officially announce it. Jungkook and Ji Eun agreed it was better to do it after their song's release. The fans might be more favorable to see them as a couple after seeing their great chemistry.

He spent some time talking about his trip to Hanoe for Run BTS. He always found a way to make it entertaining.

Ji Eun wished their relationship would always stay like that: full of laughters and sweet teasings, listening to each other highlights of the day, sharing good and bad feelings, trusting and supporting each other. It reminded her of Lee Hyori and Lee Sangsoon's dynamics which she always viewed as a relationship goal. Hyori unnie gave her a lot of love advice among them was " trust your instinct, you'll feel it deep in your heart when you will meet the right one, the one that will make you forget all the pain from your past and will open your eyes about many things " This time she felt like Jungkook was the right one.

" Jieun-ah are you all right?" he asked when he realized she spaced out

" Yes, sorry, I just realized something. Hmm ... I felt it since our first day alone in the studio but I was not sure. I have no doubts now that you're the one for me, the person I've been waiting for."

She watched carefully his reaction. He seemed speechless for a moment. Was it too rushed? Maybe she should have waited a few more weeks before scaring him off with that type of confession.

" Jieun-ah, saranghae" he confessed with a shy smile. Her breath stopped for a second because she felt overwhelmed by so many different feelings. She knew the extent of his love for her but hearing him say it still left her speechless.

" Please, say it again when we will see each other on Monday, I want to answer you in person. I can't wait to see you!"

" Okay, see you soon and take care of yourself. Happy birthday again"

" Thank you my dear boyfriend! Goodnight" she threw him heart fingers before ending the video call.

As she lied in her bed, she declared that her 28th birthday will be one of the most memorable.   
  



	12. Agency HQ = perfect place for a secret date

Ji Eun was excited today because Jungkook would work with her all day on their song with her producing team at Edam Entertainment headquarter. If everything goes according to their plans, the recording will be done in two days.

She came early to take a coffee and catch up with her lyricist friend Kim Eana. They first met 10 years ago and became friends through many collaborations. She eventually had to tell her at some point that she is dating Jungkook. When they came back to the studio, Jungkook was already there.

She pondered how to greet her boyfriend as the musicians were not aware of their relationship.

" Annyeonghaseyo, Jeon Jungkook-ssi" she said in the end, he bowed back to them

" Annyeonhaseyo, Bangtan Jeon Jungkook imnida."

" I would like to introduce you to Kim Eana, we have worked together on the lyrics of 15 songs. Kim Hee Won is the producer of Through the night and will oversee the arrangements. Hong Sojin is our keyboard genius and Insung has been IU's bassist for a few years now."

" Nice to meet you all! It's an honor working with all of you. I will give my best to this song."

" We are the one who feel privileged to be here with both of you. " replied Kim Hee Won

They worked for 4 hours straight: changing some parts of the lyrics with the help of Kim Eana, trying to find the best harmony and keys with the producer and the musicians.

The song theme revolved around the longing someone feels for their lover who is busy far away. The two lovers exchange letters to keep in touch in the first and second verses. They reminisce their best memories together in the chorus. At one point, in the third verse the letters come only from the woman as he ceased to reply. She is imagining all kind of scenarios: is he too busy? Has he found someone else? Is he okay? The man replies one last time that he was very busy for the past weeks and drove himself sick by working too hard. He tells her he feels lost and think that their relationship makes no more sense as they can't find time to be together. She deserves to be treated better so he's asking for forgiveness as he breaks up with her and wishes her to meet someone who will be there for her. The song ends with the chorus about the souvenirs of their happy moments with a last sentence saying maybe their relationship will work if they meet again in another life.

It was an emotional song that required some vocal prowess. They did a few tests with the music and the lyrics. Kim Hee Won was incredibly effective as he found the right transition of melodies for each verse. Jungkook and Ji Eun added their ideas to make the whole song sound coherent and harmonious. It was stimulating and rewarding to work with so many talented artists. 

She discovered another aspect of Jungkook's personality. When it comes to work, he is perfectionist and very hard on himself. He hates making mistakes even insignificant ones while singing and can ask for more takes until he seemed satisfied. He was focused but also undeniably stressed. 

She knew he wanted to do good because he didn't want to disappoint anyone and because he is expected to give a perfect result. Ji Eun felt that pressure for so many years: IU's songs and albums always must be on the top 3 for weeks and gain "all-kills", be a successful hit, bring money to the company and awards to maintain her relevance in the entertainment industry. Some expect her to fail and take the opportunity to bring down her hegemony over the digital charts. Most people expect her to do better than her last album and impress them. Either way, she had to work even harder than before, which at some point is too much for a human being. Sometimes it leads to tragedies: Jonghyun was the proof.

"Jungkook-ah" she said quietly to him while he was absorbed by the arrangements "Let's have a break, we've been working for hours. It's time for lunch anyway."

Jungkook's mood reverted to his happy self during the lunch at her company building. They had an hour break left so they sneaked out to an empty room. She sat next to him on the couch and put her head on his shoulder.

" Are you okay? You were kind of tensed furing the recording." She asked him, squeezing his hand

" I'm a bit nervous. It's the first time I'm working on an emotional ballad with another artist and without BTS staff. I'm representing my group and my company so I want to do well. This also have a special meaning for both of us: I've been waiting to sing with you for 10 years. Fans were eager for our collaboration. I guess it's hard for me to relax when I think about all of that. "

"Believe me, I understand your feelings as I am a perfectionist too, however, we should have fun doing it, right? Let's create good memories so when we think about it later, we will remember it as a great experience! Araso? " She gave him her brightest smile, hoping it will lessen the burden he put on his shoulder.

" Okay!" he tried to hide the little tears in his eyes. She shifted to hug him and he sniffed in her shoulder.

" Mianhe Jieun-ah, it's stupid to cry over something like that. I'm not a cry baby though. Things have been abnormally intense lately. We practice all day for our world tour, we do interviews, filming, meetings with the staff, writing songs, I barely have time for myself. I think I'm tired, that's why I want to go on vacation with you. Writing this song also brought insecurities, what if due to our busy schedule and our careers we end up like the lovers on the song? "

" Jagiya, I know it's hard but we will get through this together okay? As long as we love each other and think that we deserve a happy love life like any normal human being, then we will stay strong and make it work. We can rely on each other and on other people that counts in our life. We will relax at Hyori unnie's house and take a break from our hectic life. Kwenchana Kookie-ah."

He hugged her tight, whispering in her hair that he loved her.

" I love you too Jeon Jungkook! Now kiss your girlfriend, she has been waiting for her sweet kiss for a week."

He released his hold and crashed his lips on hers. The make out session lasted for a couple of minutes. Ji Eun was walking on a cloud. Jungkook seemed very happy too.

" Are you free tonight ?" she asked

" Yes"

" Let's have a date here! Everyone leaves the building after 7 pm. We can order food and watch a movie. I can ask Seo Yoon unnie, my stylist to pick our order in the front desk and put it in the cafeteria's fridge. She won't mind! We can even stay the night here. The couch is big enough for two. Wait wait I'm not suggesting something weird like.... Hmm I'm just saying we should sleep here next to each other. Anyway, we are supposed to be here at 7 am tomorrow to finish the recording so why not stay here. There's a shower booth on the first floor. I have a closet full of clothes here. Seo Yoon unnie can find you clean clothes to wear tomorrow. The night security guard can erase all the CCTV recordings including us. He won't say anything if we bribe him with your autograph for his teenage daughter, but he must give it to her after the song's release, so it won't be suspicious. "

" Have you planned all of that beforehand or did it just come out of your head on the spot?" he asked in astonishment

" I swear the idea just popped in my head two minutes ago. I guess those kisses stimulated my brain."

" Okay! I'll text the guys that I won't be home tonight and inform my bodyguard to not pick me up tonight. Omo, they will imagine all sorts of naughty things." They laughed at that.

The afternoon passed quickly as they recorded half of the song.

In the end, Seo Yoon was thrilled to help Ji Eun and Jungkook on their secret date. Ji Eun and Jungkook pretended to have a meeting with Seo Yoon to discuss the photoshoot outfits for the song visual cover. Jungkook stayed hidden in the meeting room until every employee of Edam Entertainment left at 7 pm. Ji Eun sneaked out in the cafeteria to take the food and warm it up.

They devoured fried chicken and beer as an intense day of work made them ravenous. She used her laptop so they could binge watch the third season of Kingdom on Netflix.

"Ju Ji Hoon, Bae Doona and Jun Ji Hyun are so cool! I'm happy they did such a good quality zombie drama in Joseon era "said Jungkook

"Yeah, the director and the cast are indeed talented. Thumbs up for Bae Doona unnie and screenwriter Kim Eun-Hee! "

" I could see you in those type of drama. You should apply for season 4 if there's one. You were amazing in Hotel del Luna and Moonlovers! You would ace any role on Kingdom. "

" Gomawo Kook-ah. I'll think about it. It's actually a great idea! "

She received texts from Hanteo informing her that several news outlets published articles about dating rumors with her co-star Park Seo Joon. He wanted to ask her if her agency needed to make an official statement to deny the rumors. She sighed, those fake rumors whenever she finished a drama or was hanging out with male friends, were tiring. She gratefully accepted Hanteo's offer to take care of the matter. 

It was weird to discuss with her real boyfriend about a fake dating rumor circulating on the social media. And yet, Jungkook took the news well because it was Park Seo Joon.

"When I heard you were both cast in the same movie, I told V hyung to warn his friend Park Seo Joon to not make a move on you. If his friend ended up trying to seduce my crush for 10 years then V must choose between Park Seo Joon and me. Well I was only half joking but V hyung told me to not worry because Park Seo Joon already have a girlfriend. However, that does not mean I wasn't jealous when I saw the kissing scenes in the movie. Yeo Jin Goo hyung is still apologizing to me for kissing you in Hotel del Luna. I told him it's okay, it was his job, but he still feels guilty. "

"Poor Jin Goo! I should text him that we're dating now but maybe he'll feel worse because he actually kissed his friend's girlfriend, even it was in the past and for a drama."

" I'll pretend I'm hurt and will ask him to buy my forgiveness with tons of samgyeopsal (grilled pork). Don't worry noona, we'll invite you too. " They laughed again

When they both felt exhausted, they turned down the lights and settled on the couch. Then came the awkward moment of sleeping in the same bed for the first time. They struggled to find a comfortable position in the couch that won't leave their limbs numb tomorrow. They finally agreed on sleeping on their side with Jungkook's arm wrapped around her stomach.

"Good night and sweet dream Jieun-ah"

"You too Kook-ah"

Her body exhausted by the long day, her mind and heart at peace, Ji Eun fell asleep within minutes.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


..........................................................................................................................................

Credits for the photos: Jeonjookie_iu 

All the people introduced here are real IU staff and friends


	13. Boy in luv

It was still dark outside when Jungkook woke up in an unfamiliar room. His arm was draped over a petite body curled on his chest and he sensed a leg wrapped over his. It was weird, he thought sleepily, neither Tae nor Jimin (who usually shared a bed with him when it was necessary) were clingy in the morning. There was a reason he always chooses them instead of Yoongi and Hobi hyung who had the bad habit of sleeping perpendicular or accidentally hitting their bedmate.

Anyway, he had a nice dream involving Ji Eun,his girlfriend, gosh just that title made him ecstatic. Wait....His eyes opened in panic when he finally came to his senses and realized the body attached to him was IU.

Last night events replayed in his brain: it seemed so domestic and heartwarming to do simple things like ordering food, watching a movie together, cleaning and then going to bed with your loved one. He could imagine a lifetime like this with her. He would never get tired of years of domesticity with Ji Eun. He knew it in his heart. This happy bubble might burst any moment, so he vowed to enjoy every moment with her.

He held her closer to his chest and watched her mumble incoherent things in her sleep. He placed a kiss on her head, inhaling the peach and orange blossom smell of her hair. This was pure bliss! As the sun started to rise, so was Ji Eun.

" Hi" she yawned

" Hi, did you sleep well?"

" Like a baby! I was out within minutes which is so unlike me. Finding sleep is always an issue for me, I've got insomnia since I was 12." She was so pretty without make up in the morning

" My contrary, I can sleep anywhere in a matter of seconds. The others used to make fun of me and take pictures of my nap in the waiting room, during make up or in the car."

" I think I saw once a compilation of those videos on youtube."

" What? You've watched videos of me?"

" Of course, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I don't watch cute videos of my Kookie"

Aish why is she so adorable in the early morning? He will smile like a fool (indeed a fool in love) all day.

" Do you feel my heart beating faster?"

" Nope " she snickered "I'm a bit distracted by what I feel down there." When his mind registered what she was talking about, he felt as if the traitorous blood down south went back at high speed to his face and ears.

" Aiigo, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen and make you uncomfortable. I am not used to wake up with a woman in my arms. So....hmm..mianhe noona. I will go to the bathr..." Someone please dig a hole so he could hide there. He was not unfamiliar to it, it happened a lot when he was a teenager and even from time to time now. But of all the day, why today?

" It's okay, I heard it's a common reaction of men's body in the morning. I don't remember the scientific word for it! Maybe it was nocturnal penile... Anyway, don't be so ashamed. To be honest, as a woman, I think it's satisfying to know that my boyfriend can be turned on by my body against his. I like it."

Wait...what did she just say??

Error 404: Jungkook's mind and body not found

She laughed at his reaction

" Was I too straightforward for you?"

" Maybe"

" Yoo Inna said I should put a filter on my mouth and think twice before speaking."

" She's right. For my sake, please do not talk like that, joke or mention that type of subject with your male friends."

" Of course, Mr Jealous" her pout was so adorable

" Yah Jieun-ah, don't try your aegyo with me, you're driving me crazy" he huffed while pinching her cheeks

_____________________________________________

He was the last one to enter the studio. He learnt that dating when you are an idol made you do unusual tasks like sneaking to an agency common shower and bribing security guard so they could erase CCTV's images. It was also funny to greet Ji Eun formally in front of the others. They snickered like two teenagers sharing a secret. If Kim Eana sunbaenim suspected something, she stayed silent on the matter.

Jungkook's entire focus was on the song for 5 hours straight. Making a song was an ugly process according to him: BTS members fought the most during those periods. The pressure and the constant rejection and modification of their demos asked by their agency made them wary. But hard work always pays off and the feeling of satisfaction anytime a producer said the song is wrapped is always unencryptable. He put his usual worries aside and tried to have fun. Ji Eun was right: this should be a happy memory.

One of his managers brought snacks for the whole team. Big Hit sent a cameraman to film the morning session, so he tried his best to not look at Ji Eun with lovesick eyes. It was hard to not smile when her pretty face crunched up in concentration. She also had the tendency to play with her pen. Sometimes it would fall, or she realized she chewed on it. This was only the second time he saw her live interacting with other people. On one hand: Ji Eun was a bit bossy with people she knew well. As she joked a lot, the way she talked might appear disrespectful to other people, but this was her way of showing she was comfortable with them. On the other hand: she was very caring and mindful to her staff and to the people around her. She behaved like a big sister looking out to everyone's wellbeing.

He gave his best to the song, channeling emotions deep within himself to convey the song's meaningful lyrics. Seeing her do what she did the best for more than 10 years and sharing this experience together made him euphoric. They hugged each other and thanked the whole team when Kim Hee Won-pd nim announced the song was finished.

Sadly, he had to leave right after that to go to the photoshoot for BTS 7th anniversary debut. He passed her a note he quickly wrote when she was recording, and he was on the other side of the room, watching her with fascination.

_**" Dear Ji Eun,** _

_**First, I want to say I'm sorry as I will be very busy for the next days. You know I would love spending more time with you.** _

_**Secondly: thank you for proposing this collaboration 4 months ago. Never in my dreams, I would have imagined that you and I will end up together. I am glad we found each other. Thank you for reaching out to me! I guess all those times I showed my admiration for you on TV payed off.** _

_**Finally: this song, even with its melancholic feelings, will always remain a memorable experience for me. I hope this is the beginning of more joyful moments for us. Let's create happier memories during our vacation at the end of the month!** _

_**Take care of yourself,** _

_**From JK, with love** _

_**P.S: I still don't get how you can chew 30 times on each bite of food. I tried it earlier with a chocolate bar, it's sooooo hard. I guess it's because I grew up with 6 others famished boys so taking your time to eat isn't the best survival technique. "** _

Armys commented that night during his Vlive that he was even more cheerful than usual.

_____________________________________________

Their respective busy schedule made it impossible to meet for 10 days. They called each other each night. Their discussion chat was filled with memes, sweet words, and jokes. Jungkook was ecstatic when Sejin told him he had a photoshoot with Ji Eun tomorrow for their duet's promotion.

While they waited for the staff to prepare the shooting's second setting, he received a text from Ji Eun. He glanced in her direction; she was busy trying different pairs of shoes, but he knew for sure she was aware he just got her text. He heard her say to her stylist that she needed a bathroom break.

He invented an excuse to go outside. As he was walking to the exit, a hand spurted out of nowhere and dragged him in the bathroom. Ji Eun locked the door and kissed him with passion. He put in his arms on her tiny waist to pull her closer. Jungkook stopped her hands who were about to grab his hair during the kiss.

" Jagiya, don't mess with my hair please, it would be suspicious if I came back disheveled. "

" Why do you have to be so gorgeous? " She whined "It's tough to stay concentrated at work when my hormones are going crazy. It's all your fault."

" Jieun-ah I can't help it" he quickly kissed her again. He heard Sejin hyung calling his name: their time was up.

"Don't worry, your oppa will make it up to you next Friday." He said with a final wink, leaving her speechless behind him.   
  
  



	14. Best part (1)

Ji Eun arrived at Lee Hyori & Lee Sang Soon's house near Incheon the night before. Yoo Inna helped her get provisions for 3 days and dropped her off at the house before leaving for the airport. It was very convenient that her unnie had a night flight to film a beauty commercial in Shanghai.

The house was close to a beach, in a property full of trees and flowers, secluded from other residences. Hyori and Sang Soon moved here after selling their house in Jeju. The two storey house was made of woods and bricks with a large glass window on the first floor. A wooden jacuzzi was set on the first floor patio. It overlooked the ocean. The huge backyard was mostly for their cats and dogs who were currently with Lee Sang Soon's parents. They installed a botanic greenhouse in the garden.

She stored the food in the fridge, put her small suitcase and guitar in the guest room and explored the house. She came here only once a year ago. It was a quiet night, she could heat the waves on the shore and the wind flapping on the trees. Her nervousness over staying the weekend with her boyfriend, avoid being caught by paparazzi and people who might recognize them, made it difficult to find sleep.

Jungkook arrived in the early morning, driving a black Mercedes. He was covered from head to toe: black coat, mask, baseball cap and sunglasses.

He kissed her as soon as he was out of the car and she helped him settle his sports bag in the same guestroom. He also came with food and drinks. There was a third bag full of boardgames, nerf guns, puzzles, card games and two nintendo.

" It's still early in the morning. Do you want to go back to bed? " She nodded and they made their way to the guestroom. It was less awkward than the last time they slept on the couch in the meeting room. It took her time to find sleep so she rested her head on Jungkooks head and focused on his breathing. She found comfort in the way his chest was moving with each inspiration and expiration and fell asleep.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

_**You don't know, babe  
When you hold me  
And kiss me slowly  
It's the sweetest thing  
And it don't change  
If I had it my way  
You would know that you are** _

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

They woke up again around noon. Jungkook tried to make breakfast while Ji Eun was taking a shower. She heard a loud noise in the kitchen, as if something fell on the floor.

"Everything's okay?" she shouted from the bathroom

"Sorry! Yes, don't worry, it was just the sauce pan. It didn't break"

She made her way to the kitchen, still trying to familiarize with the house. Jungkook was frying something. She tiptoed in his his direction and hugged him from behind. He chuckled which made her smile even more.

" Do you need help?" She asked, not letting him go

" No thanks, I got everything under control!"

In the end, he prepared radish kimchi, rice, tofu with soy sauce and grilled short ribs. She offered to wash the dishes while he showered. She launched her " Favorite songs" playlist on Melon and scrubbed Hyori and Sang Soon's kitchen. It reminded her of her days in Hyori's Bed and Breakfast. She was in middle of singing Bol4's Some when she heard Jungkook coming out of the bathroom. She froze as she took in his appearance: wet hair dripping on his shoulders, half naked with only a towel around his waist and those abs...aigo..those abs. She gulped, this was all hers now. Lee Ji Eun, lucky girl, you must have saved the nation in a previous life!

" Do you know where they put their hair-blower? I couldn't find it in the bathroom."

" Hhmmm...I...I..can check in the master bedroom. Hmm yes I should do that...It's maybe...among Hyori unnie's make up and hair stuff." She dashed upstairs, her cheeks were probably bright red. Control yourself Lee Ji Eun! Yeah but he is your boyfriend who appears to be very attractive and blessed with an heavenly body. It's normal to lose your mind for one second. Ok, deep breathe, take another deep breath. It will happen very soon anyway so...What was Taylor Swift's lyrics:" you need to calm down". Where is that damn hair-blower?

Fortunately for her heart, Jungkook was already dressed when she came down with the device. The next hour was spent listening to music and singing, lazily spread in the sofa. She then decided to finish reading her book and he put his head on her thighs. She stroked his hair while he was playing a game on his phone. Finding time for herself has been hard the past weeks due to her intense schedule. She just finished the promotion of her first movie. It was exhausting to guest at several variety shows and go to promotional events around the country in a short amount of time.

" Noona, I wanted to discuss something with you." his cautious tone made her wary

" What is it?"

" Big Hit was not very happy about my decision to spend 3 days alone with you here. They said it was too risky and we needed to keep a low profile until they found the best strategy with your agency to address our relationship. There's also the problem of paparazzis and sasaeng fans. They have been scarier in their methods lately and dedicated to follow us even more. We should be very careful."

" I know" she sighed

" The Public Relationship department said our relationship could have an overall positive response from the public, especially international fans who are more open to idol's dating. The news would not come as a big shock. But they expect mild response from a group of korean fans and some of your male fans. The main reason is probably that I'm younger. "

" IU team is also working on it. We should soon plan a meeting between our company to talk about it."

" Our duet is expected to do well on the charts. They advised us to capitalize in our positive image as singers and our chemistry. Showing great chemistry in the song, the music video ad live performance will help deliver the news. The more we show we are made for each other, the more people will support our couple. That doesn't mean we both won't lose a fair amount of fans. I wish things were simpler. I was involved in a dating scandal last year with my tattooist friend and it was really ugly. She received death threats and mean comments. I apologized multiple times to her and her boyfriend. Our friendship will never be the same. "

" I hope she's doing better now."

" Yes, but it made me realize how I could never have a normal life. I'm endangering my friends and my family just by hanging out with them. " her heart ached when she heard that because she also felt the same. She protected her family at all cost and took legal actions against harassment online and in real life. She was aware that sasaeng fans were even more virulent towards male idols. She heard horrible stories from her male friends. She hugged Jungkook tighter, feeling helpless that she couldn't protect him from all the pain that came with the celebrity life.

" Anyway, Big Hit's PR manager suggested we film some authentic moment videos during our break here. They said it would be more significant with we are in a relaxed and normal environment instead of an official MV setting with dozen of cameras. We could mix those videos with some staged scenes and put them together in the music video of our song. At first I was against it because it's a violation of our private time. But a part of me really wish to make a Golden Closet film with you to store t

hose beautiful moments. This song is like our baby, we made it together from A to Z. It felt right to also include genuine moments in the MV. I'm also willing to do whatever it takes to make people accept our relationship. But I'll totally understand if you say no."

" Give me some time to think about it, okay? We can record our moments together and then decide later if we want it to stay private or if we could share some images for the music video."

They made a late lunch after that: a simple egg fried rice and the rest of the grilled short ribs from breakfast. Jungkook installed a camera in the kitchen so it could film them while they cooked.

He showed her how to play Overwatch on the Nintendo Switch. She definitely sucked at playing videogames. It was hard to keep up with the story and the character's role. Shooting villains with the nintendo stick was also not her forte but she continued because it made him so happy.

When they were both tired of playing games, she suggested to try the outdoor bathtub in the first floor's patio.

She changed into her bikini and put a bathrobe. She just noticed Jungkook was already inside the hottub. His eyes widened when he saw her coming towards him. Serves you right boy, this is my payback for that towel and wet hair moment! She thought

" Enjoying the view?" She taunted him

" Yes... No that's not what I mean.. Well yes...I checked the area: nothing suspicious, no spy drones and camera. No fans nor photographers hidden in the trees. We're all alone here. "

" Good" she said, taking off her bathrobe and joining him. " I don't think they could handle all the Rated R stuff we could do here. " She kissed him with passion as he brought her closer to her. The sensation was divine. Her fingers dugged into his strong shoulders as his hands caressed her thighs. The sun settled as they pursued their make out session in the hottub.

Dinner was long forgotten as the took it further in their bedroom.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

**_I just wanna see how beautiful you are._ _You know that I see it._ _I know you're a star._ _Where you go I follow._ _No matter how far._ _If life is a movie y_ _ou're the best part._ **

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was 3 am when she woke up again. Their naked bodies were flushed against each other so she buried her head on his shoulder, Jungkook was so warm and comforting. She has never felt his loved.

She wanted to cry, this was exactly what pure happiness felt like. She wished to freeze this moment forever.

She never wanted to let this go. She was afraid of facing life in the real world and leaving the little utopia they've created. She wanted to stay here, free from the flashing cameras and the pressure of other's expectations. Here, Jungkook was hers and only hers. Out there, he belonged to everyone.


	15. Best part (2)

Someone was playing with his hair. He hummed in contentment when he felt Ji Eun massage his scalp.

"What do you want for breakfast? " she whispered in his ear. It tickled!

" You" he replied with a wink and a huge smile

" Aigo, when did you become so bold? My Jungkookie can now say dirty things without blushing."

" You know I learn fast, they don't call me Golden maknae and international playboy for nothing."

She hit him with a pillow.

" Stop bragging" she laughed

" What do you want to do today?" He asked more seriously

" I don't know, I don't want to leave this bed." He didn't mind that but this weekend was also an unique opportunity to try to live like a normal couple.

" You know, one of my dream is to take a long walk on the beach with my girlfriend."

" What a good coincidence that we are 10mn away from the nearest beach. Careful though, we must go there past midnight or early in the morning to avoid people."

" Great !!! "

" I don't have a lot of day off to sleep in so please just give me one more hour to enjoy my morning sleep. That's in fact the big difference between us: I can be very lazy, on the other hand you are an energetic person"

" Come here" Jungkook opened his arms and she lazily put her head in his chest while he threw the blanket over them.

" I wish I could wake up in your arms like this every morning or stay like this forever. I don't think I'll be productive during the day but at least I'll be happier. "

" Me too" he sighed. " You know I love you, right?"

" I love you too oppa" he will never get tired of hearing that. All the stress cumulated from months of work and busy schedule disappeared everytime he thought about her. The happy moment with Ji Eun will help him go through every hardship in his life. It will join the motivation of being on stage and see Army's love and smiles during BTS performances. This was love in its simpliest form.

Ji Eun was adorable when she was sleepy. He loved the way she yawned every 5mn. He quietly sang to her Lauv's song Never not.

Unlike her, he couldn't fall asleep. He was just content holding her warm body against his.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

" Jieun-ah, it's been one hour and half of extra sleep. Please wake up, it's almost noon."

" Noooo, just 5 more minutes."

" Come on sleepy head." He kissed her forehead.

She buried her face further into the pillow.

An idea flashed in his mind. He delicately ran his fingers across her bare back, down to her stomach and then went back up to slowly caress her breasts.

" What are you doing? " she moaned

" Waking you up " he was clearly enjoying this. Last night events replayed in his mind.

" You're not playing fair."

" I disagree. You're the one who said one more hour of sleep, I gave you an extra 35 minutes. Rise and shine Jieun-ah! I' ll make you a delicious korean brunch."

" With pancakes?"

" I don't know how to make pancakes"

" Well me neither, we can watch cooking videos on YouTube"

" Good idea. But shower first! Do you want to join me?" He definitely managed to say that without batting an eyelash. Confident Jungkook was back !

She looked at him, trying to decipher if he was serious or just teasing her.

" Ok " she whispered with a blush. He smiled at her, trying to calm his heart and hide his nervousness.

" There's a bathtub in the master bedroom. I want a big bubble bath and maybe some wine and music. " Ji Eun said. He didn't know that. He only used the shower in the bathroom downstairs. What his girlfriend wanted, she will get, he will make sure of that.

" I'll arrange that. " He put on his shorts and went to the kitchen to open a bottle of red wine and grab two glasses. He entered for the first time in the master bedroom. It felt a bit weird to be in Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon's bedroom. When he thought about what they would do in that bathtub later, he was even more flustered and ashamed. He wrote a memo on his phone to remember sending gifts to the couple to thank them and also to ease his guilt.

He was in the middle of pouring bubble bath formula in the warm water when Ji Eun came in. She looked like an angel with her messy hair bun and white baby-doll pajamas. She helped him by adding scented oil and bath salt in the water.

He noticed that she was about to undress so he quickly turned to give her privacy and poured wine into the glass to appear busy.

" Anyway it's not as if you haven't seen everything before." He heard her say behind him. He turned around to admire her.

" Come on, the water is cooling off."

She washed his hair, petite hands massaging his scalp and trying to get the shampoo out of his eyes. He rubbed her back and they laughed when the glass of wine almost slipped from his soapy hands.

" I wish I could freeze this moment forever" he confessed when they were just resting in the bath, his arms wrapped around her body. She was about to reply something witty but she stopped, maybe to avoid spoiling the moment. They stayed like that for a few more minutes. He hesitated to start a serious conversation but they were things in his heart that he wanted to say.

" Going back to Seoul and seeing you only a few times a month will be tough. I don't know why I feel insecure and jealous when I think about you being close to other men even if I know you are just friends. It's not that I doubt you. I try hard to not be jealous but I'm scared that tomorrow this dream will end because you realized you deserve better. It's some old insecurities that are difficult to dismiss even if I know you love me. I feel guilty to feel this way when you always seem to be cool about my situation."

" I'm constant when it comes to love. Once I open my heart to someone and ended up loving them, I never let go. I cherish and nourish that love to help it grow. Please never forget that Jungkook. However it's not true that I am always very calm and collected when it comes to love. You'll discover that I am too a possessive woman. Sometimes I'm a bit demanding towards the one I love. I...I'll be honest and say this: it's selfish but I do not feel like you are mine when I have to share you all the time with millions of people" she looked at him, worried about his reaction.

" I just can't do anything about it. This is the life we both chose. "

" I know" she sighed " And I totally understand that it can be hard for you too to see me kiss people for my job or perform for a bunch of excited guys at concerts or fan meetings. I try to accept the fact that thousands maybe millions of girls and women around the world would dream to be with you. That's it's your job to make them smile, be sexy and cute during performances. I would never make you choose between your career, your fans and me. I won't do that to you. Just as I expect you to not ask the same from me."

He nodded

" Sometimes I can't sleep because I know a lot a men hit on you and it bothers me when they talk about you in crude way online, or when they scrutinize your body to judge you. I never paid too much attention to these critics before but I imagine it must be hard for you to endure it all the time. The idol ecosystem is cruel at some points but it's even harsher to female idols. I remember how Jimin would starve himself to lose weight because some netizens kept saying he didn't deserve to be an idol because he was too chubby. Our body worked hard for weeks yet he was on a strict diet, barely hanging on. It hurt seeing him suffer physically and mentally like that."

She could only imagine what he must have felt.

" When I was nineteen, I lost a jewelry commercial contract, they said the sales performances were not as high as expected because my chubby cheeks were not harmonious with their earrings. I acted as if I was unbothered in front of them but that night I cried for two hours. Did you know that I lost 5 kg to look good on that tennis outfit in Persona. And I usually don't eat for 3 days, only taking nutritional complements and sweet potatoes, before a music video shooting or a drama. I am paid to be beautiful. Of course talent counts in this industry but without the visuals, you can't go far. When I meet my friends who are idols, models and actresses, the first thing we talk about is the trendiest diet. I am mad at myself because I'm aware it's unhealthy but I just feel like I should do it, so I won't lose what I worked so hard to gain. Everything's so competitive nowadays! Don't you think it's unfair? Why does the korean entertainment industry have to be such a cruel world for their own artists?

" I wish people would stop constantly criticizing our appearance and our words. You're so gorgeous Jieun-ahh, please remember that. You don't have to starve yourself to meet their impossible beauty standard. "

" Yeah, you're right but it's hard to not think about it when a big part of our job is to look beautiful and perfect in every aspect to the public's eyes. I took a lot of legal actions against malicious comments. I heard your agency did the same. We must protect ourselves from people trying to hurt us behind their screens. Sometimes I get mad at myself for allowing those critics to affect me. I hate it even more when the rumors and critics come from other celebrities or their entourage and they're spreading it behind my back. That's why I wrote BBibbi, for all those cowards online and the two face timed bitches and jerks in the industry who dissed me. "

" Maybe it's time for things to change. We could advocate on that matter: stop ridiculous beauty standards, reduce malicious comments and online bullying, stop the exploitation of trainees. We're not the only one who are tired of it. A lot of senior idols and hoobaes will stand with us. "

" You're preparing a revolution?"

" Yes and you'll be my partner in crime."

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

After preparing the brunch and enjoying it in the patio while looking at the Yellow Sea, they spent the afternoon singing and playing boardgames.

He was slightly frustrated because he lost almost every round of game. She taunted him a bit which drove him to ask for another revenge game that she won again.

" I give up. I totally suck at Monopoly. Why though?"

" Well I have more experience in handling real properties and investments. And here I thought you were irreproachable ! I'm glad to discover you got defaults : you're very competitive and you're a sore loser."

" I suppose so" he laughed

He showed her how to use his videocamera. She was more than happy to film him when he drew the botanic greenhouse and the trees in the garden.

They figured out together how to use the helicamera and they yelled in victory when it finally soared into the sky.

They chased each other with the water-filled nerf guns in the huge garden. He let her shoot him a few times. He loved hearing her yell and laugh everything time he got water on her face or when he caught her in his arms.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was 5 am when they collected their discarded clothes around the bed and got dressed to go to the beach. The road to the beach was desert at this time. They still decided to stay cautious by wearing masks and hats and checking every once and then if they were followed. They walked hand in hand in the beach, going towards the lights of the closed amusement park.

He took some footage of her splashing her feet in the water. They laughed when she fell on the sand after a wave took her aback.

His heart had never felt this light. If someone had told him years ago that one day we will have a long walk in the beach with his girlfriend IU, he would have advised that person to see a doctor.

So he took this chance to thank his lucky stars above and enjoy this moment. Because things that were too good to be true never last forever, right?

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Their last day was quiet, their impending separation, for days maybe weeks, was lingering in the air.

He filmed her doing random things: laying on the floor with her cup of tea, dancing around the house and in the garden, writing on her diary (the one Gdragon sunbaenim gave her).

He gave her another handwritten letter and she let him read all the unsent letters she wrote to him in her diary the past 4 months. His tears were threatening to spill on her words.

25.03

Dear Jungkook,

I suddenly remember the day when we first met. (I was struggling with my life). I could lean my tired shoulders on you. (I finally felt happiness). You gave me a place to finally rest behind you. I loved you since the beginning. (I also can't live without you)

From Lily with love

✏✏📔📔✏✏📔📔✏✏

13.05

My beloved Kookie,

In my heart, love does not cool down. As time passes, it comes up even hotter. It's possible only because of you. My precious love, I've fallen in love with your smile and your eyes, your hands that warmly embraced my back. Because I love you, with an unchanging truth,I pray tonight of course for you.

Your Ji Eun,

✏✏📔📔✏✏📔📔✏✏

27.05

Jagiya,

Throughout a long period of time, we need to be honest for each other. I only love you, will you trust me?I will forever protect you. If you go, if you leave, now I know,I know myself and that I will only look to you. If you go, If you leave, I will hide behind you. 

With love, Ji Eun

✏✏📔📔✏✏📔📔✏✏

They quietly tidied the house before leaving. He had to go to Incheon's airport to join Bangtan's members and fly to Switzerland for Bon voyage BTS 5. A BTS staff will take his car back to Seoul. Ji Eun's manager will pick her up in 30 minutes.

" I'll text you as soon as I land there. Don't be sad when I'm away okay? "

"I'll be so busy that I won't have time to miss you" she said with a little laugh. He just smiled in response, he knew she was trying to stay strong.

" Good, I'll see you soon"

With an heavy heart, he kissed her goodbye and drove off, leaving her behind. The image of Ji Eun standing in front the house alone, crying, was engraved in his memories.

"Things will get better in time." he said to himself

"One day, we'll be able to love each other freely."

...................................................


	16. Airplane pt2

As soon as Jungkook arrived at the airport, Sejin immediately guided him towards the other members. They just had time to say hello before being led to the front door of the terminal where photographers were ready to shoot their airport fashion style. This was also part of the job. No one seemed to have noticed he came separately.

They passed security and checked in before entering the VIP lounge. The flight will take off in 30mn. The staff checked if they were sasaengs among the first class passengers. The VIP section was packed with 7 members, 2 bodyguards, 1 manager, 1 stylist, 2 hair & make up artists and then 3 cameramen and the BTS Bon voyage producer. So they were safe for the entire flight to Zurich.

He opened the Bangtan's chat on kakaotalk and saw 13 unread messages from his hyungs, all of them addressed to him.

" Sooooooo how was your little weekend with your girlfriend?" (Tae)

" Spill the tea !!!!" (Jiminie)

" Were you guys cautious? Hope everything went well" (Joonie)

" What did you do?" (Hobi)

" Can't believe the maknae is the one having a secret affair?" (Jin)

"Yah, why are you not responding?" (Tae)

" We're waiting for juicy details!" (Jiminie)

" Guys, give him a break" (Yoongi)

" Why are you saying that ? You're just as curious as we are." (Jin)

" Have you guys done it?" (Jiminie)

" Is that even a question?" (Hobi)

" Can you just calm down for a minute and not bombard him with personal questions?" (Joonie)

" But we always share everything 😥😕" (Tae)

He eyed them discreetly: Jin sat the closest to him and snickered while typing on his phone, Jimin was busy on his phone but looked at him from to time with a smirk, Yoongi was pretending to be asleep but had his phone on his hand, Taehyung winked at him when their eyes met, Namjoon and Hoseok were not in his peripheral vision. Jungkook's ears were burning. This was embarrassing.

" Very nice and relaxing weekend. Everything went well. Thank you for your concern." He replied in the chatroom

" Yah what kind of answer if that? We need more informations" (Jin)

" Yes, come on you can tell your hyungs. I know you're dying to talk about it." (Jiminie)

" Ok later. Meet me in my hotel room tonight after dinner." He replied back because he knew they were not going to let this go

Jin high fived him and shook his shoulders, clearly excited about the situation. He's going to die of embarrassment tonight.

The flight went well, there were Swiss Army waiting for them at the airport so he just waved at them, there were sadly nothing else to do apart from that. He watched through the car window as the sun was setting in Zurich. He texted Ji Eun that he had a safe flight and told her he already missed her. He checked the time difference: she was probably already asleep.

They had one hour to settle in their hotel rooms and take a quick shower. During dinner, the staff explained the concept and the activities for Bon Voyage 5. They will stay one day in Zurich tomorrow for a treasure hunt. Then they will go to the Swiss alps and Interlaken for 2 days plus a bonus day off. There, they will stay at a chalet and will try various jobs in a farm, a mountain railway station and a gift shop. He was looking forward to try new things. The only thing he feared was the language barrier.

The dreaded moment came when the members knocked on his door after dinner. Jimin and Hoseok jumped on his bed while the rest settled on the chairs or on the floor. 

" We're waiting !! " said Taehyung.

Jungkook rubbed his own neck, nervous about what he should say. He understood their curiosity. If it was someone else, he would have wanted to know everything too. They didn't have secrets for each other and he knew some of them were really bored of their single status. Jin had a on and off thing with an idol from a famous girlgroup. Yoongi secretly dated someone a few years back but they broke up. Jimin always had conflicted relationships with girls so he just gave up for now. The others didn't have time to date or were just not interested in that at the moment. So that left only him.

" We just had a relaxing weekend: cooking, playing Overwatch and boardgames, singing, dancing, sleeping, drawing and writing. "

" I'm so jealous!! You played Overwatch with your girlfriend " cried Taehyung

" I wish I had someone to do simple things like that too" added Hoseok

" Anything exciting?" Asked Jin

" Yeah it was so hilarious when we chased each other with water-filled guns. It was also nice to just walk hand in hand, early morning in the beach. Ji Eun is so sweet and pretty. I'm head over heels in love with her."

" Ohhh you're sickly sweet " said Yoongi

" So how was it?" Taehyung said with a suggestive look. He's going to kill this one for his curiosity.

" Look guys, his ears are very red" laughed Jimin

" I'm going to say this just once and then you'll forget about it and drop that subject, arraseo? " Everyone nodded

" The sex was good, absolutely mind-blowing, that's it, now leave me alone" he said then buried his face in his pillow because yeah it was so embarrassing to say it out loud to his big brothers.

He heard exclamations, whistlings and people jumping on the bed.

" Give me a high five" said Hoseok

" I'm so proud of you " he felt Taehyung and Jimin crush his body

" Get off of me, I can't breath. " he said

" So where you guys safe?" asked Namjoon

" Oh yeah ! Lee Hyori sunbaenim's house was very secluded so we were not worried about being caught by paparazzis nor people. "

" That's a relief but I was not talking about that. Did you use protection? You know condoms, birth control, you know what I mean." said Namjoon

That caused a little bug in his brain. He tried to remember what exactly happened but he failed to recall using the condoms packed in his bag.

The others seemed to catch the change of the mood and his panic.

" Wait, so you haven't talk about contraception with her?" Hoseok asked

Jungkook shook his head, still shocked about forgetting such an important thing.

" So you just forgot once or.....? " he heard from Jimin

" Everytime " he burst out in tears, feeling like a complete idiot 

" Jinjja? I can't believe it, what were you thinking? And here I thought I raised you well. This little punk!" Jin kept hitting him with the pillow

" Calm down, maybe she was on birth control but forgot to mention it" said Yoongi

" Yeah, I don't see IU sunbaenim as the type of person to not think about such important matter." calmed Namjoon 

" I really feel stupid and irresponsible right now" Jungkook cried again. Jimin and Taehyung tried to console him with hugs and backrubs.

" Just text or call her to talk about it. Be careful from now on. You're not a kid anymore. But you're definitely not ready to have kids either. " Finally said Jin with a more calm tone. 

They left him alone and he dialed Ji Eun 's number, hoping she would be awake. It was midnight in Zurich and still 7 am in Seoul. The call went to her voicemail. He tried again, bitting his nails, while waiting for her to pick up. His mind was all over the place and he found it hard to just breathe.

" Yeoboseyo?" she said with a sleepy voice

" Noona I'm sorry for waking you up but we need to talk about something very important."

" What's wrong ? You're scaring me. "

" I'm so sorry, I just realized I never used the condoms I packed in my bag and we didn't even talk about it and just went on with it. I don't have STD's. Are you on any form of birth control? Again, I'm sorry, it was irresponsible."

" Oh"

"Oh?" What does it mean? His soul was ready to leave his body.

" This was just not what I thought we're going to talk about at 7am but you were right to worry as we didn't have this conversation before. I'm sorry about that, I should have told you that I have a Nexplanon."

" A what?" He exclaimed, still as pale as a sheet

" It's an implant inserted in my arm, it releases hormones to prevent pregnancies. I had a medical check up a month ago. I don't have any kind of STD's. So you don't have to worry, I wouldn't have put us in a difficult situation. I knew we were safe, I'm sorry I just forgot to mention it. My mind was distracted and I blame your body and lips for that."

He sighed in relief

" Kookie ah, are you okay?"

" Yeah, sorry, I think I got a panic attack for a few minutes. I'll be more thoughtful next time, I promise. You shouldn't be the only one who have to think about this kind of things. "

" Yeah, it's good that you're taking more responsibilities. I'm just curious: do you want kids, not now of course but someday? Have you ever thought about it?"

" Oh yeah, I would love having kids." He replied. " With you" he whispered more to himself but he realized she heard it. She was silent so he continued "What about you?"

He was afraid she got scared by what he just said.

" The more I think about it, the more I want to. I'm scared though, parenting is a big responsibility. Our style of life and status make it more complicated. But overall, yes, I think our kids would look cute and would be very talented." 

His mind kept replaying her words "our kids". His imagination was running wild.

" You want to have kids with me?" He said a little dumbfounded

" Yeah with you Jungkook pabo, who else? You're stuck with me until we grow old and become grumpy harabeoji and halmeoni. "

" I'm just surprised you consider it as an evidence. Should I propose to you then? " he half-joked "I know you're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."

" We've only been dating for months, wait a few more years before proposing. What if we really can't stand each other after two years of dating for example? I can be scary when I'm angry. "

" Then we break off the engagement. It's simple. Jieun-ah, do you think our babies will enter the world crying in falsetto instead of just screaming like normal newborns? "

She laughed again

" You're silly "

" I know "

" Go to sleep! Your brain is going crazy and you have important things to attend tomorrow. I still have an hour left before getting up so I'll go back to sleep too. "

" Have a nice day noona. I love you"

" I love you too. Good night Kookie"

He sent a text to reassure everyone in the Bangtan chatroom and fell immediately asleep. The jet lag and that moment of panic took a toll on his body.

One day later he got a call from Bang PD-nim telling him the duet will be released tomorrow at 6pm korean time because a lot of comebacks from major artists were announced for this month. Edam and Big Hit agreed that it was better to release in advance to gain advantages on the charts and create a bigger surprise impact. 

The MV shooting was rescheduled as soon as he come back to South Korea but he still had to film some individual scenes in Zurich during his day off. 

He had no say in all of it so he just accepted. The companies will do it whatever they wanted anyway. The good thing is he'll see Ji Eun sooner than expected thanks to the MV and all the possible music show appearances. However, it felt rushed and it bothered him. He called Ji Eun when he was on a break from filming to talk about it. She was a bit upset too by the timing but said she trusted the companies strategy.

He got a notification on Melon and Spotify when the song was available on the platform. He felt immensely proud to see the mention **[ written by Lee Ji Eun, Jeon Jungkook, Kim** **Eana** **, produced by Jeon Jungkook, Lee Ji Eun, Kim Hee Won].**

He was thankfully very busy with the jobs at the farm and mountain railway station to obsess about the charts.

They were on their way back to the chalet when he saw the painting of Lily flowers in Interlaken's market. He bought it for Ji Eun to celebrate the release of their song " From Lily with love". 

That night, he texted her about it and opened Melon and Genie to find out that their song was #1 on the main charts and broke some records. They were trending #1 on Twitter and Naver. They were also a lot of comments and memes on social media about his reaction to a collaboration with his crush. Most of them made him laugh. Some comments were a bit harsh toward Ji Eun. But the overall reaction was positive as people and medias said they loved the song, the lyrics and their vocal performances.

Instead of enjoying his day-off, he had to shoot his individual scenes in the MV. Bon voyage PD-nim managed to find an empty office in Zurich and actors (korean and swiss) to film the scenes showing Jungkook working hard abroad. 

His parents called to congratulate him and to see how he was doing. He celebrated it with his hyungs in an italian restaurant the last night they spent in Zurich before going home.

He couldn't wait to see the love of his life again. 

Then all hell broke loose when he set foot in Seoul. There was twice the amount of people normally waiting for them at the airport. People who were usually behaved pushed each other to film them, take a photo, give gifts, asks questions and point their microphones. The flashes of the cameras were blinding. He had to put on his cap, mask and sunglasses to protect himself. Airport security came to help their bodyguards. 

" Jeon Jungkook-ssi, this is KBS news. Can you give us an interview about your song with IU-ssi? "

" Oppa, you're breaking my heart ! " 

"What is your opinion about the recent change of management in Big Hit Entertainment? "

" Jeon Jungkook-ssi, is it true that you are you dating IU-ssi? "

" Bangtan Sonyeondan, sarangmnida" 

" On your left, Jungkook-ssi please smile for the camera"

He just tried to make his way to the exit and their car despite the chaos around him. He felt so bad for his hyungs, he caused this. Jungkook collapsed on the backseats of their van. What the hell happened? They were on their way home when he heard Sejin curse. 

" Aish, a car has been following us since we left the airport. I think it's Dispatch. We'll protect you as much as we can but you need to be very careful now Jungkook. They won't stop until they got their scandal. Arraseo ? " 

" Thank you Sejin hyung" he said. 

Welcome back to your reality Jeon Jungkook, he sadly whispered to himself. 


	17. Music video shooting

The weather in spring is her all time favorite: the light breeze, the warm sun, the cherry blossoms blooming everywhere in Seoul. She could wear a dress or shorts with just a light vest. People seemed happier too in spring. They usually complain a lot during winter and then in summer because of the unbearable heat. Spring was a synonym of happiness for Ji Eun.

Today was another day of work but she was in a good spirit. They had a virtual meeting yesterday with Big Hit to review the MV shooting schedule today. Jungkook came back from Switzerland but he told her his arrival was chaotic. Paparazzi and sasaengs were even more on his tail now. The good news is they will spend the day together to film the MV and it included a lot of romantic scenes.

Ji Eun was in the middle of getting her make up done for the MV filming when she heard Jungkook enter the make up trailer. He politely greeted the staff and sat in the chair next to her. He wore a navy suit and white shirt with a loose tie. She was supposed to wear a light grey dress.

The individual scenes were filmed separately when he was in Switzerland and she finished hers just two days ago in Seoul. So today's shooting were mainly about their memories together and the break up scene.

" Hello IU sunbaenim" he bowed

She smiled at his seriousness

" Hello Jungkook-ssi"

" Could you guys give us 5mn alone? We need to discuss about something." Lee Shinae finished putting blush on her cheeks and then followed the others outside.

Jungkook pushed his chair towards her and took her hands.

" Hi again. How are you?" He asked

" Happier, now that you're here"

" Why are you so cheesy? It makes me blush." His cute reaction was so funny

" You're lucky she still hadn't put my lipstick on"

Jungkook took her words as a go to kiss her. She had missed the feeling of his soft lips against hers. She felt giddy, there were bubbles inside her that were ready to burst in excitement.

" I was serious earlier, just hearing your voice and seeing your smile makes me feel happy." She confessed

" Omo you're so cute I wanna pinch your cheeks. But then you'll be mad at me for ruining your make up." They laughed and he kissed her again.

The staff came back a few minutes later with IU TV and Bangtan's cameramen to film the behind the scenes video. Jungkook sat next to her while they did his make up and they just exchanged casualties in a friendly way in front of the camera.

" Noona, I have a gift for you, to celebrate the release of our song." Oh right, the lily painting he told her about via text.

" Jinjja? That's so nice! " she feigned surprise in front of the cameras. Jungkook came back with a wrapped present, saying he found it in a market during his last trip. She bowed and thanked him. She tried to open it carefully without tearing the paper down but she eventually lost patience and ripped it. Jungkook just snickered at her action and she gave him a stink eye. She had seen the painting in image but the real thing was beautiful.

" Wow, they're lilies !! It's so pretty. I really love it. Thank you Jungkook-ssi. Now I feel bad because I didn't prepare something for you. Mianheyo. " She bowed again. He rubbed his neck, unsure of what to say to her in front of the cameras.

" I'm glad you liked it. It's okay noona."

" I was kidding. I actually got something for you too. It was my idea but the gift is also technically speaking from someone else."

" Jinjja? What it is?" He asked, obviously excited. She realized that this is was her first gift to him as a colleague but also as his girlfriend. Ji Eun brought a box from the closet and gave it to him.

" Daebak !!! Is this what I believe it is?" He exclaimed while taking the shoes out of the personalized box. It was a pair of the limited edition of Paranoise Nike shoes by G-Dragon.

" I heard you were a big fan so I asked my friend Jiyong if he could give me a pair in your size. He kindly offered to doodle it for you. " She didn't want to reveal in front of the cameras that she got one too. A year ago, Jiyong gave her one of the 88 yellow-swooshed pairs reserved for his friends and family.

" Wow wow wow, this is awesome. Thank you so much noona, thank you Gdragon sunbaenim. I can't believe it. " he bowed three times. Jungkook then turned to the camera to show off his new shoes.

" Look, he wrote J and K in the back of the shoes and wrote BTS below the yellow swoosh. I'm so happy !!! This is literally a gift from my two favorite idols. I'll cherish this for the rest of my life." He said with a goofy smile. Seeing him so happy made her heart flutter. If the cameras weren't there, she would have engulfed him in a big hug.

" Do you want to call him to say you loved the shoes?" She asked

" Are you serious?"

" Yep !" She replied showing him her phone

" Oh yes, yes yes, please" he jumped in excitement. She forgot how childish he could be sometimes and just laughed at his reaction. She texted Jiyong to ask him if they could call and it will air on IU TV and Bangtan TV. Jiyong texted back to say ok so she dialed his number.

" Yeoboseyo?"

" Annyeonghaseyo Jiyong oppa, how are you?"

" I'm fine thank you. And you?"

" I'm filming a MV today for my last song. Jeon Jungkook from BTS is here with me, he got the shoes so he wanted to say something to you."

" Annyeonghaseyo G-Dragon sunbaenim! Bangtan Jeon Jungkook imnida. I'm so honored to receive such a precious gift from you. The Paranoise shoes are awesome! I can't believe I now have a pair doodled by the great G-Dragon himself. Thank you, thank you. It means a lot to me. Maybe I've already said it before but you are one the artist who inspired me to do music, so I owe you a lot. I don't know right now how I can thank you back but I promise I'll think of something. Thank you again."

Ji Eun was sure Jiyong's face was so flushed right now. That guy get really shy when people compliment him.

" Yeah, it's nothing really. Thank you Jungkook-ssi, I don't know what to say. I'm touched by what you said. I've been watching BTS for quite some time and I'm really happy by your success. I love some of your songs. It was always on the radio during my military service. You guys are amazing performers and I feel honored and a bit shy to learn that you are looking up to me. It means a lot to me too."

" G-dragon sunbaenim, please let's collaborate !! I also want to treat you to korean beef whenever you are available. Can I tell Ji Eun noona to give you my phone number? Please, please " He asked.

Ji Eun was laughing so much the phone was shaking.

" Yeah of course"

" Daebak, thank you so much. We are in june but I feel like I got my Christmas and New Year' gifts. G-dragon sunbaenim you're the best!"

Jiyong laughed again and they all said goodbyes.

Jungkook high-fived her and thanked her again. He was in the middle of doing a happy dance when Hanteo, Ji Hwan and Sejin called them for a debrief before the first shooting.

Her second manager Ji Hwan explained her schedule regarding the song: the MV will be out in one week. The teaser will be revealed in two days. Ji Hwan checked with Sejin if Jungkook was available this week. He was free on Thursday so they have the choice between a live performance at Yu Huiyeol Sketchbook or Inkigayo. They decided to go to Yu Huiyeol Sketchbook first so they could talk in depth about the song and go to Inkigayo the week after.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

The first location for filming was a restaurant. They were supposed to be on a date.

" Hey Jeon Jungkook, why don't we turn this into a real date?" She whispered

" Noona, you always have the best ideas" he gave her a fist bump

The MV director gave them a few tips, the rest was easy. She wrapped the grilled beef in a lettuce and fed Jungkook. However, she got upset whenever he ate it too quickly. Having completely forgotten about the camera rolling, she started scolding him:

" Jeon Jungkook, you can't swallow your food after just three bites. You'll end up having an indigestion. "

The crew laughed and she apologized, embarrassed that they heard it.

Jungkook just gave her an indifferent shrug and a goofy smile.

" Thank you for the food, noona"

They gave another take when the director called action.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

The next scene was in the airport so the crew filmed Jungkook driving to Gimpo and the director asked them to sing along the radio and pretend to be an happy couple in the car. They had to change the outfits and hairstyles again at the airport. She focused on playing the part of a supportive girlfriend proud of her lover for getting an internship abroad but also sad and full of doubts because he was leaving.

Because they weren't dialogues, the story was told through the emotions shown in the eyes, the facial expressions and the body language. It felt unreal to enact the dating and goodbye scenes with Jungkook and be his fake girlfriend in front of 8 cameras. If she a professional actress found it hard, she couldn't imagine what it must felt for him. It took 5 takes to get it done.

" MV are really cool to watch but shooting it is so exhausting." Complained Jungkook to the behind the scenes cameramen. They all waited for the crew to pack up and leave for the next set location.

" Here's some red ginseng to gain strength " Ji Eun offered to him

" Thank you noona! The one thing I'm grateful for is the lack of choreography in this MV. That's the hardest part in all of our music videos. Maybe I should do more slow songs in the future. My tired body will thank me later."

" What I find the most exhausting is the change of outfits and hairstyles. It takes at least one hour each time. We've changed clothes 4 times since this morning and I heard they're will be 3 more different outfits after this. Jinjja, it's driving me crazy. Thank you IU team for putting up with my mood swings in the dressing room. "

The stylists gave them couple matching shirts for the scenes in the airport.

" I feel like I'm filming a mini drama." Jungkook said, still sipping his red ginseng and hot chocolate

" Yeah me too. I can't wait to see the results. You're doing great, have you ever considered debuting as an actor?" She asked.

" Thanks" He blushed " Nope, not really. V hyung is the only one who starred in a drama. I'm too shy for that. I wouldn't feel comfortable."

She nodded in understanding.

The IU TV and Bangtan cameramen signaled them that they got enough footage here and left them alone.

" Finally alone." She sighed

" There's a lot of people spying us here. Have you seen the crowd behind the airport glasses? "

Ji Eun turned her head toward the airport exit and found people gathered there to take a few snaps of the two idols. They both waved and the crowd screamed in response.

"Jungkook, Ji Eun-ssi, we're ready to go." Sejin announced

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

It was 4 pm, they've been working since 8 am but it was not finished. They went to the studios sets in the same van. Jungkook held her hands during the whole trip to the studio. She snuggled closer to him in delight.

A support truck serving pizzas and sodas was installed in front of the studio. Jungkook and IU's name and pictures were displayed on it. She came in front of it and saw the messages from Bangtan Sonyeondan.

" **It's spring day and we wanted to express our gratitude for all the people working on this MV** "

" **To our dear maknae, enjoy the food while you work hard. We love you and wish you always the best. Your 6 hyungs** "

" **IU sunbaenim, it's the right period to eat pizzas and listen to** _ **Not spring, love or cherry blossoms**_ **and** _ **Spring day**_ **. We hope you had a Good Day. From BTS hoobaes** "

They enjoyed the delicious pizzas with all of the staff. She even took an extra box of chocolates to reward herself after a hard day of work. She wrote a thank you note to BTS and gave it to Jungkook so he could pass it to the others.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

The next scenes they had to film showed their character's two previous lifes :

\- One in Joseon area where they played two staff in the royal court exchanging secret scrolls. In this life they had the chance to get married but then her character died in childbirth.

\- And the second one was set in the 1940's where Jungkook played a korean soldier enrolled in the japanese army. Ji Eun sent letters to the front and they filmed her when she received the letter announcing the death of her beloved during a World War II's battle.

The director goal was to show that the main characters keep finding each other in different lifetimes but they never got their happy ending. Not even in the modern era. Maybe they will succeed in their next reincarnation. The whole MV will be in black and white.

The last scene (the only one in color in the MV) was about their future self, meeting in the street with a hopeful ending for their love story. The white leather suit was too tight on her chest and she found it difficult to breathe properly.

Her relief was apparent when the director yelled " Cut, very good, that's in the box." They all thanked the staff and the actors for their hard work. Unfortunately for her, the director and the MV producer had something to discuss with her. The conversation lasted 20 long minutes.

She rushed to the dressing room to get rid of the tight outfit. She found Jungkook wearing another army uniform on when she entered the room.

" I thought we were done with the shootings. Why are you wearing another outfit? "

" I just found it among the clothes in the dressing trailer. My stylist packed it in case we needed it today. We wore it during an award show. I just wanted to try if it still fits. Do I look good in it? "

He looked more than good in it, she thought.

" I just discovered that I'm one of those girls who loves men in uniform. And just thinking about what you hide underneath that makes it more attractive. It's a good thing you love working out." She whispered to him.

" Noona, you're doing it again. It should be forbidden to get your boyfriend all excited like this at work. You're a naughty naughty girl who deserves some punishment." He whispered back, looking at the tight suit showing her curves. She shivered, goosebumps rising all over her arm when she imagined all the kinky things they could do. When did she become so lewd ?

" Will you handcuff me lieutenant?"

" I can do worse than that."

Damn, things are getting really hot here. She wondered where was his limits.

" Oppa, let's have _ramyeon tonight_ at my place and I'll let you punish me as you want since I've been such a bad girl." She pouted

" Jagiya as much as I really love that, and believe me I really want to. How are we going to escape from Dispatch and the sasaengs? They are waiting outside "

"We'll find a way. We will always find a way to be together. I can promise you that. "

And Lee Ji Eun, in her 28 years of existence, never broke a promise. 


	18. Bonus chapter 1

Comments 84 k

 _ **@Marla Morena**_ : please just release the MV, I can't wait. They look so good together. I want more

 _ **@Ania Bass:**_ IU and JK snatching my wig again with this 0:40 mn MV teaser. I swear I cried like a baby when I listened to the song

 _ **@ENT.Armyx1**_ : I don't get what JK sees in her and why she's popular in Korea. She is very average in my opinion. For those who're going to bash me, go ahead, we are free to give our opinion here!!!

 _ **@Kooku2020**_ : why am I already crying? Oh wait..yes...It seems like my ship is finally sailing. Waited so many years for this!

 _ **@singuaena:**_ please keep streaming the song on all platforms so it could get more Perfect All Kill 

_@_ _ **girlnextdoor**_ _:_ Suho left the chat

@ **cityofloverxo:** I AM DEAD, I REPEAT I AM DEAD, they bless us with a beautiful song and now the MV will show scenes where they are together IN THE SAME SCREEN for real. 

@ **Dan W** : can we please stop with the dating rumours? It's disrespectful towards JK and IU to keep mentionning it everywhere. Let's just appreciate this collab between 2 singers!

 _ **@BTSChemT**_ : King and Queen of talents and visuals 😊😊😊 Kooku /Nun tokki fam are you here?

 _ **@BPinyourarea**_ : Liskook forever

 _ **@Tewat Zulay**_ : JK's dream came true. I love the Black and White concept!! 

_**@Bangtan25lover**_ : who came here after watching Jungkook's reaction to IU's live in 2017 and all those vids where he kept mentioning her as his ideal type and favorite artist for a collaboration?

 _ **@BT21 Aud**_ : Am I the only one who didn't like the song? Too melodramatic for my taste


	19. My time

Today was their first live performance together. Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook was one their favorite music show. Ji Eun had been a guest multiple times over the years, she became friend with Yu Huiyeol. He was a kind host that allowed you to talk in depth about music. He even appeared in her MV Red Shoes in 2013. Jungkook was more nervous because it was his first time here.

They had 40 mn left before the live. Thankfully Ji Eun and Jungkook were put in the same waiting room. Hanteo and Sejin left to take a snack and to smoke. Jungkook put his head on her lap and she instinctively stroked his hair.

They talked about their weekend : Jungkook was meeting his 97's liner friends . She wasn't aware of the group so he explained the concept of regrouping male idols born the same year in one chat room and how he became close friends with Mingyu, the8, Dogyeom (Seventeen), Cha Eun Woo (Astro), BamBam& Yugyeom (GOT7) and Jaehyun (NCT).

" Maybe I should create a 93's liners group chat with Suga-ssi, my friends Eunji and Bomi from Apink, High4's Myungwan oppa, my best friend Jiyeon (T-ara) and P.O-ssi of Block B. The main problem is they don't know each other personally, so it will be awkward. Not such a good idea." She mused

Ji Eun told him she was invited by Suzy this saturday at her home for a "girl's night" with Yoo Inna and Jiyeon.

It felt nice to just be able to maintain a social life like normal people even if the said friends were also celebrities.

" Do you still keep in touch with your friends from Busan?"

" Yeah some of them, mostly friends from my neighborhood and from school. But I don't have much time to spend with them when I come home. I focus on being with my family and you know it's awkward because my friends treat me differently now. Not in a bad way but we're just not as comfortable as before. They view me as a person with a higher social status. " The regret and frustration were evident in his voice

" My brother's best friend is the only one who treat me as if I was the Jungkook he watched grow up. And it's just nice to be back to who I was before. I'm sometimes envious because they are enjoying things that I can't do anymore like going to college, having fun outside, hanging out with friends without worry, getting drunk at a karaoke bar, dating freely. One of them got married last year. The others will graduate soon and are thinking about finding jobs, moving out of their parent's house, getting another part time job to pay back their student's loan."

She watched as Jungkook became agitated. His hands were fidgeting.

"I don't want to talk about my life as an idol because I feel like I'm bragging or complaining about my privileged life to them. I don't know how to describe it but there's this gap that we can't close. So I thought about it a lot. Why do I feel like I am missing a lot of things when I have everything? Will a be able to catch up those missed life experiences? Am I living this right? "

They stayed silent for a few seconds. She gave him time to recover, sensing it was a touchy subject for him. She now understood more the worries he expressed in his song My time.

" What about you?"

" I'm still in contact with a childhood friend. We're both happy in our lifes so we mainly talk about the good old days when some kids bullied us or when we used our pocket money to buy snacks at the food stalls in front of our school. But it's the same as you. I'm IU now in her eyes, not little Lee Ji Eun anymore. At some point of life, we all just take different directions. This is the path I chose. My life will never be normal again, no matter how hard I pretend to so I made peace with all I've lost years ago. "

" I wish I could do the same." He sighed

" One day you will" she stroked his hair again to reassure him

" I can't even date you openly. I want to hold your hand when we are walking together, kiss you whenever I want, go to the cinemas and restaurants without worrying about people finding us. I want to go on vacations with you without causing a scandal. Every time I'm doing something for myself, I cause trouble for everyone around me: the tattoos, the car accident, harassment for my friends, fake rumors about my family. Whenever I'm hanging out with my 97's liners friends, it's all over the news. And now us."

Her heart ached for him

" I know baby, believe me I know how you feel. Jungkook-ah, we know you're doing your best to always please everyone. It sucks that things are sometimes out of control. Whatever will happen in the future, we'll face it together. Arrasseo?"

" I'm so thankful for you Jieun-ah" he looked at her with a heart-breaking little smile.

It was the first time she felt like a moral support for someone (over than Uaenas). Ji Eun has been emotionally depend of Jang Kiha during their 4 years relationship. At that time, she relied on him for many things but he had a hard time opening up to her.

She had to toughen up when they broke up to find an emotional balance within herself. She promised herself to never depend on anyone, not even her close friends.

Her relationship with Jungkook was so different. On their first meeting, she cried in front of him when they talked about Jonghyun, Hara and Sulli. They could talk about anything and they would always understand each other feelings and thoughts. They were no conflict of pride or shame.

Because he was younger and due to his honest personality, he was very open to her about his struggles and searched comfort in her words and touch.

She was there for him as much as he was there to cheer her up, listen to her and comfort her when she needed it too.

She couldn't find the right words so she just kissed his forehead to show him her mutual gratitude.

" I'm getting emotional here. We won't have time to redo my make up if I end up crying. Hu Huiyeol sunbaenim will ban us from his show if we delay everything."

" He's too nice for that!"

" Gwenchana?" She inquired, still feeling his restlessness

" It's just the stress. I'm afraid my voice will crack at the high note in the last chorus. "

" We should warm up our voice then. It's a difficult note but I'm sure you'll be fine. If not, we can record it again. Oh this reminds me of something."

Ji Eun showed him a compilation video of all of her participation in Yu Huiyeol's sketchbook. She was singing live in front of the crowd 7 years ago when her voice cracked in the chorus and she apologized for singing off key. Jungkook tried very hard to hold his laughter.

" It's okay, you can laugh all you want. Now I also think it's funny but at that time I was mortified."

" It happened to me too from time to time."

They started with breathing exercises. She corrected his stance to give more freedom to his diaphragm.

She blushed when he gave her a peck on the lips. Then they did scales from top to bottom range to slowly warm up their voice.

" Noona, how can I sing a melancholic song when I can't help smiling every time I look at your face? It will be hard to do eye contact." He mused

" Just imagine that we're in the middle of breaking up and the lyrics are our final words to each other."

" Remind me again why we chose to write a sad ballad?"

Everyone came back at that moment and they both greeted the musicians. They did a small rehearsal all together.

" We're ready. On stage in 5 mn" informed the show's producer

Jungkook invented an handshake to do before performing on stage. He checked his JK earphones while she was testing her custom made mic. The show's make up artists did some retouch and they were ready to go on stage. He wished her "Good luck".

They heard Yu Huiyeol's introduction.

"6 years ago I asked her what Yu Huiyeol's Sketchbook meant for her and her answer was it was a reason for her to make a comeback. Now she's back here again with a new song. Ladies and gentlemen, we are very lucky tonight because we have not just one but two superstars reunited to perform for the first time their hit song _From Lily with love_. Please welcome IU and Jungkook of BTS."

The audience cheered loudly when they appeared on stage.

They first sang _From Lily with love_. They agreed to look at the crowd while singing their individual verses and only looking at each other when it was the chorus about their memories together.

Jungkook was a different person when he was on stage, she knew that but it was a different sensation to be there with him when he was fully focused like this. While he was mostly sweet, playful and a bit shy in normal circumstances, he displayed great charisma and confidence on stage. He didn't smile thankfully when they sang the chorus.

She sang every words as if she meant it: they both had beautiful memories together. She thought about his smile, his eyes that were always full of love, about the way he always try to protect and care for her.

She thought about the small but meaningful things: when he said that his fans are like fresh air that helped him breathe and she was like a sun that was warming up his life or when he offered to massage her neck when they were both equally exhausted by work. She put all his precious notes in a little box and sometimes read it again to remind herself how much she was loved by him.

Life was full of incertitude but whatever will happen she was sure of two things: he truly loved her and she was so in love with him. Come what may, she thought, she was ready to face the storm.

The crowd cheered and clapped loudly and they thanked everyone.

They checked that no one was watching backstage and hugged each other .

" You were amazing! See I told you you would hit that note right."

" My hands were so moist by the stress, I thought my microphone would slip at some point." Jungkook joked

He released her from his embrace. They just had time for a bathroom break, a little snack and make up retouch before coming back on stage. Hu Huiyeol was already waiting for them on the guest couch.

" Annyeonghaseyo" they both greeted Yu Huiyeol and the audience

" Thank you for coming here and for choosing this show for your first performance together. Junngkook-ssi, I believe this is your first time here. "

" That's right, it's one of my favorite music show. I used to watch it with my mother so I'm really happy to finally be a guest here."

"I would like to express my congratulations. _From Lily with love_ is #1 on all the charts. When I asked people around me what they thought about the song,most of them said :" the song makes me want to experience a break up just to sing it with my heart out." Or " I was crying over a non existent boyfriend or girlfriend." Was it your goal to make people cry?"

" Ah jinjja? " Ji Eun replied first. "It received a lot of love so we are very grateful for that. Thank you everyone and we apologize if we made you cry. It was not our intention."

" When we first debriefed about the song concept, we agreed to talk about loneliness, longing and the doubts that could be present in any relationship. It's an universal theme, feelings and thoughts that people of any age could relate to. Wherever you are in a relationship when you are in your 20's or when you're married for years but started to feel distant because of many life circumstances. So I guess that's why people cried." Jungkook added

"These strong emotions in the lyrics and your voices made the ballad so powerful and heart-breaking. It was also presented like an exchange of letters (hence the title) between two lovers who are separated by distance. What inspired you? "

" We both really love ballads so we decided to do that. We are big fans of Kim Kwang Seok sunbaenim so this duet is inspired by his works like " _It's not love if it hurts too much_ ", " _A letter from a private_ " or " _Writing letter from a cloudy sky"_. Ji Eun explained

" I grew up listening to his songs because my parents adored him. I remember I 've always admired the emotions in Kim Kwang Seok sunbaenim's voice, it made his songs so memorable. As a singer, I wanted to try to feel the same powerful emotions at least once when I sang a song. It was challenging but also an amazing experience. So that's why I was a bit nervous to sing it live for the first time." Jungkook said

" you both did well" Yu Huiyeol reassured him

" The MV will be released tomorrow at 6pm. Can you tell us a bit more? "

" The content is a surprise. When the teaser came out, some fans had wild theories about what would happen in the MV. It's actually simple but we really had fun filming it so I hope you'll love it."

"Out of all our music videos, this one felt the most intimate. Like IU sunbaenim said, the MV tells a simple story without artifice." Jungkook added.

They both refrained to mention that they decided to include some of the personal videos filmed in Incheon during their vacation. They only took the scenes that didn't show Lee Hyori's house to respect her privacy. They selected the footage from the beach, the garden when Jungkook was drawing and when they chased each other . There was one scene where she kissed the dimple on his cheeks when they ate their brunch outside.

They continued the interview with discussion about the kind of music they listen everyday. They replied one by one. She appreciated Yu Huiyeol's efforts in making the guests comfortable.

Then they talked about the genre they would both love to explore. Ji Eun answered trot songs because she grew up listening a lot to it. However she expressed her doubt about her fan's reaction to a trot song by IU.

Everyone laughed when Jungkook said his favorite trot song was obviously _Come back to Busan_ _port_ by Cho Yong Pil. They were all surprised, even Ji Eun, when he said BTS loved trot songs especially _Daring woman_ by Seo Joo Kyung.

"We love to sing it when we are in a karaoke room or when we're tipsy" he blushed

" I think all of us here can relate. Trot songs are the best for karaoke and joyful evening drinks with friends and family"

" Jungkook-ssi, you mentioned multiple times before that you wanted to collaborate with IU-ssi. What have you learned from this collaboration?"

" It was a great experience. I'm thankful for all the things I've learned in the process of creating this song. It was also a positive challenge to work with other producers and musicians. I learned some important things by watching a more experienced singer. It goes from technical advices to small gestures to feel better. For example, IU sunbaenim congratulates herself whenever she finishes a performance. I realized it was important for your well-being to just say to yourself that you did well and that you're proud of yourself. She taught me that while it was necessary to work hard and progress, I should be less hard and critical on myself. "

" Is that so IU-ssi?"

" It was something I started three years ago when I struggled a lot with self confidence. I pat my head and just say: you did well Jieun-ah. It helps to feel better from time to time to reward yourself when you were satisfied with your work."

" I see. I should do that too after every show." Yu Huiyeol said, prompting laughter from everyone

Ji Eun answered question about her movie Dream. They talked more about what it felt to be in the same group for 7 years and what would be BTS's next challenge.

" IU-ssi what is your wish for the next year" Yu Huiyeol turned to her when he finished with Jungkook

" My wish would be to see korean culture reach more and more people. Hallyu is trending worldwide thanks to kdramas, kpop group like BTS, Twice, Blackpink, Exo. There's so many groups that are making South Korea known worldwide and I feel proud when I see more people listen to our music, getting interested in our cuisine and our history, traveling here, learning korean. I also hope BTS wins a Grammy award. Fighting Bangtan Sonyeondan !! And for me, I just want to keep receiving and giving love to Uaenas and in general just be healthy and happy."

" Thank you" Jungkook said quietly hearing her good wish and praise for BTS.

" Jungkook-ssi what's your favorite song from IU-ssi ? "

" That'a tough question. I can't choose between _Lost child, Knee, Heart, Through the night and Ending scene_." They all laughed

" IU-ssi what's your favorite BTS song ?"

" Without hesitation: _Spring day_ "

" Could you please both sing the chorus for us?"

Jungkook looked at her expectantly so she nodded and they sang together. She couldn't help smiling when her boyfriend looked so happy to see her sing his song.

**_Nunkkochi tteoreojyeoyo_ **

**_Tto jogeumsshik meoreojyeoyo_ **

**Bogo shipda (bogo shipda), Bogo shipda (bogo shipda)**

**Eolmana gidaryeoya**

_**Tto myeot** _ _**bameul** _ _**deo** _ _**saewoya** _ ****

_**Neol** _ _**boge** _ _**doelkka** _ _**(** _ _**neol** _ _**boge** _ _**doelkka** _ _**)** _

_**Mannage** _ __ _**doelkka** _ _**(** _ _**mannage** _ __ _**doelkka** _ _**)** _

The audience cheered again

" Thank you, that was amazing. Don't worry everyone, these two will be back on stage in a few moments to sing one more song for us." Yu Huiyeol said before the director yelled "Cut".

The musicians came back. Jungkook and IU directly went to the stage to prepare for the next song _Ending scene._ They felt more relaxed with this song.

" Your voices sound so good together. It's like a match made in heaven." praised Yu Huiyeol

" Gamnsahamnida" they bowed

When they finished filming the show, the staff gave them flowers and gifts. Yu Huiyeol took a photo with both of them and they all thanked each other.

🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

They ate dinner in the car, on their way for a late night meeting at Big Hit Entertainment with her managers.

Ji Eun accidentally dropped ssamjang (korean spicy sauce) on her shirt. Jungkook helped her cleaning it up and offered his jacket to cover the very visible stain in her clothes.

" Thank you Kookie-ah. It's embarrassing that I'm eating like a 5 years-old and dropping food on my clothes."

" We're eating while we're on the road so it's normal to be messy. Beside, my jacket looks good on you. You should keep it." She agreed to that.

Everyone was waiting for them in a big conference room. Jungkook introduced her to Bang Si-yuk and the Public Relationship Managers. Her three managers sat next to her: Jeong Hanteo, Moon Ji Hwan and Bae Jonghan as the CEO of Edam Entertainment.

" We discussed a lot about the best strategy to address your relationship . I hope you understand why we felt obliged to get involved in such a personal matter. This is the first time a BTS member is going public with a relationship. There's a lot at stake and as it will both have consequences in your lifes and careers, we wanted to find the right solution to avoid any bad aftereffect on both of you. We're only trying to protect you." Bang Si-yuk explained

"I know" Ji Eun said. She has been long enough in this industry to know how it works and when it was necessary to seek guidance from experts. That didn't stop her from being shocked when the PR manager showed them a video presentation with statistics and comments online about her and Jungkook.

" We've been carefully monitoring the evolution of public support for your collaboration and a possible dating news with the help of Edam Entertainment. It's best to announce it a few days after the MV release. We need to let people warm up to your chemistry. The live performance tonight will help a lot. Relationships like Lee Seung Gi and Yoona or Taeyang and Min Hyorin received a positive response because the man expressed his admiration for their partner beforehand. The public also loved the good image they carried which made them a perfect couple. That's also your biggest asset here ! Waiting too long will make the rumour grow wild and will maybe leave the fans with a feeling of betrayal that you're hiding important things from them. Uaenas and Army seem to love you for your honesty and your accessible image. So the best way to announce is by doing it yourselves instead of releasing a statement through the agencies. Maybe through V live and Instagram live " the young woman in red announced

" It feels right to explain it ourselves to our fans. What do you think Ji Eun-ssi? " Jungkook turned towards her.

In 2015, she opened up about her relationship through a statement by her agency and a letter posted on her official fancafe. She didn't want further interference in her private life.

This time, she knew it was different. This news will be the talk of the country for at least one week. It was important to take time to explain it to their fans. Jungkook and her loved interacting with their fans who were there through their ups and downs. Maybe fans will take it more smoothly if they show how much they care about each other and how it's not going to affect their love for their fans.

" I'm fine with that" she said with a small smile to reassure Jungkook. She survived dating scandals. She could take all the bashing and critics, just as long as he didn't suffer from it too. She feared for Jungkook. He wanted to appear strong but they all knew he was vulnerable inside.

" What about Dispatch and what are we supposed to do after the dating announcement?" Jungkook asked.

Jonghan-sajangnim was the one who answered

" We won't ask you to stop seeing each other. Just keep a low profile for a few months. Your next public apparence together will be at the end of the year for the awards shows. By then things will settle, we hope. The worst scenario was getting caught on dates by Dispatch and then see unwanted photos published everywhere without your consent. Thankfully, it didn't happen. We're taking a step ahead of them by announcing it ourselves. We can talk with them and negotiate some exclusive contents like photos from just one date and then they'll leave you alone."

" BTS fansite webmasters will work with us to protect your privacy from some sasaengs that they know personally. But you should be careful and just avoid talking too much about each other on live and SNS for the next months. Our main goal is to keep you both happy and reassure the fans that you love them too no matter what." Bang Si-yuk added

She understood their reasoning and that despite everything they all wanted the best for her and Jungkook. However, why does it have to be so complicated? She was ready to fight for their happiness but a small part of her wished things were easier.

Ji Eun looked at Jungkook to see his reaction.

"Jieun-ah, like you said to me, we'll face it together. We're a team now, arrasseo?" he said gently to her, eyes full of love and incertitude just like hers. So she decided to trust his words just like he did when she reassured him before.

"We're the best team" she nodded

🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

Credit

Photo edit: ijkooku (Instagram)

Ending scene song mash up: Planet Peach (on YouTube)


	20. Are you guys dating?

Jungkook slept 2 hours the night before. His mind was restless all day and night. They will do the dating announcement today and his hands were already sweating.

They decided to film it in the studio used for IU's homebody signal. She will do a live on instagram and he's going to do the same in Vlive.

" Noona, I'm not comfortable saying it right away." The PR Manager just gave them a few indications about what to do and what to say during the live. The rest was an improvisation.

" I'm so nervous" Ji Eun was pacing in the studio while the staff was installing the devices for the live. Jungkook took her hand to calm her down.

" Hey, me too. But it's for the best okay. After this, we will take time for ourselves. Do you want to go my dorm? We are having a game night with the guys at home. Jin hyung and Suga hyung will cook so it will be delicious."

" Yeah why not, it's time for me to get to know better the most important people in your life." He smiled and kissed her after making sure nobody was watching. He felt like he was flying everytime they kissed. He hoped this dizzy sensation will never fade away everytime they touched.

" Great, look you're so cute in that outfit. You're the prettiest girlfriend anyone could ask for."

" Jeon Jungkook, stop being so sweet. Ottoke, what should I do with you?" She faked exasperation which made him laugh.

" Why? I'm only telling the truth. Ok I'll never compliment you again then. I'll say Jieun-ah why are you so ugly and mean? Is that what do you want to hear?"

She playfully hit his chest and shaked his shoulders.

" Yah !!! Watch what you're saying. Ok ok, I take back what I said. I'll never complain again about my sweet boyfriend's attitude. "

The staff informed them that everything was ready. They did their special handshake and wished each other good luck. Jungkook saw his fingers trembling when he connected to his Vlive account and started the live.

"Hello, Bangtan Jungkook imnida. I hope you are all well! It's been a while since my last live. I missed you Army! What have you been doing lately? "

"For my part, I've been busy rehearsing for BTS world tour and for promoting new music. As you know, I released a duet with IU sunbaenim two weeks ago and the MV three days ago. The song is doing very well on the charts so I wanted to thank you. I usually do not release music outside of BTS and covers but I've been waiting for a few years for this collaboration with IU sunbaenim. So I'm really touched by the amount of love the song received. You asked a lot of questions about the song and other things beside that so I invited IU sunbaenim to talk about it with me. "

" Hello everyone, this is IU! How are you? First of all I want to thank Jungkook-ssi for inviting me today. This is my first live on SNS, so I'm nervous. I apologize if at some point I sound awkward or if I talk too much. Secondly I want to thank Uaena, Army and everyone who streamed and enjoyed _From Lily with love_. We are really happy that you love the song because we put a lot of work and feelings into it. "

A part of him was afraid to look at the comments and the chaos online. Since the release of the MV of _From Lily with love_ , Army were freaking out because of the dating rumors.

"So the first question we received is from ArmyPH1 : **who's idea it was to collaborate on a ballad?** " He looked at Ji Eun, prompting her to answer this one.

" I've been enjoying BTS's music, as everyone I presume, for a while. I heard that Jungkook-ssi wanted to sing with me. His cover of my song _Ending scene_ made me think that our voice would sound good on a song so I contacted Big Hit Entertainment for a collaboration."

" Someone asked how long it took to finish the song." Ji Eun read an instagram comment

" I don't remember exactly but I think it took 4 months. We took our time to deliver a good quality song. " Jungkook replied

" We also wanted to be involved in all the process: from the lyrics to the arrangements so it naturally took longer to finish it as we both have busy schedule. By the way, we want to express our gratitude to Kim Eana sunbaenim and Kim Hee Won-ssi and all the musicians involved in the song. Thank you for putting up with us."

" Yeah we are aware it was not easy as we both are perfectionnists but we did it. Gamshamnida!" He bowed to the camera

" Oh someone commented that they loved the MV."

" We filmed the music video a week ago. It's a sad song so it was hard to stay serious during the whole thing because we had fun doing it. There are also a lot of scene done separately two weeks ago because we both had work commitments. I was also credited in the MV because I filmed and edited some scenes. "

" kimheejoo99 asked : **Jungkook-ssi how does it feel to finally sing with your idol?** " Ji Eun looked at him with a little smile

" Well I remember the day they announced it to me. I was very happy. Honestly there was a time I was worried that constantly talking about my admiration for IU sunbaenim would make her uncomfortable. In the end, it was worth it. As an artist, I learned a lot from working with her. It made me eager to produce and write more songs for BTS and for my own EP."

He looked again at the comments and saw that his feed was bombarded with "ARE U GUYS DATING? ".

" **What was the most surprising thing you learned about the other?** " Jungkook read outloud while filtering the thousands questions popping out at the same time.

He thought a few seconds about an appropriate but still funny answer.

" Humm.... I don't know...maybe the fact that IU sunbaenim watched videos of BTS."

Ji Eun looked at him as if he just revealed her embarrassing secret.

" It started with the music videos as you guys are really successful then it went to performances on award shows that I missed. Should I say it? Omo, I'm so embarrassed. It didn't stop there as later I watched fancams and then subscribed to Bangtan TV. " Ji Eun was hiding her face in her hands.

" Wow jinjja? That's awesome." He looked at her in disbelief. " Noona, if it makes you more comfortable, I watched every episode of IU TV and all your dramas. "

" Thank you!"

Jungkook was eager to hear her answer but Ji Eun took time to choose a fact.

" What surprised me the most was that we ate the same snacks: same brand of banana candies and chocolate. It was funny how we always ran out of snacks during work sessions. We emptied the vending machine. I think it's because our brains needs sugar as it is working hard. I really crave chocolate after a long day of work. It's like a reward for myself to console me when I'm tired. Oh there was a time when we were filming the MV and there was this foodtruck from BTS that gave pizzas, drinks and chocolate. So I thought: Lee Ji Eun you worked hard today so let's have a cheat meal and enjoy as many slices of pizzas and chocolate as you want. So I ate two small chocolates and reserved the rest for the end of the day. I put the box next to my bag but when I came back later it was gone. Someone ate it. I was sad and upset because I was looking forward to eat it before going home. "

Jungkook's eyes widened and his head turned suddenly to Ji Eun.

" Wait...the chocolates in the red box was yours?"

" Yes" she sighed. " Oh you saw it!"

" Omo, omo, omo, I'm the one who finished it. "

" WHAT?" She turned to him with fire in her eyes. Shit I'm in trouble, thought Jungkook.

" You're the one who ate my precious chocolates! I thought it was my manager but Hanteo oppa kept denying it so I just let it go. Oww jinjja ! Why didn't I have not considered you as a suspect at all back then? "

Jungkook was dumbfounded that their first argument (if you could call this an argument) as a couple was about chocolates.

" Mianhe noona. " Shit, he was supposed to call her IU sunbaenim. "I didn't know it was yours. They were out in the open so I thought the staff left it there for everyone to eat." He tried to justify

" Gwenchana, I guess you did nothing wrong. It's just chocolate anyway" she pouted

" I'll buy you as many chocolate as you want!"

" Promise ?" She made him do a pinky swear promise. He laughed at how she can go from a " Jungkook you're dead" look to a cute face excited by chocolates.

"But I really can't eat chocolates right now. I gained weight recently so I have to be careful with what I eat" she sighed

" You look good the way you are. Why do you feel the need to do a diet? " this time he was the one who was upset.

" Argh, we've already talked about this, I know, I know you're right but it's hard to not be self conscious about my body. Thanks anyway! I will eat chocolates but without excess" she conceded and he smiled in relief

Jungkook suddenly remembered that they were still doing a live and turned to the camera.

" Mianhe, oh we got so many questions, they are popping so fast, I can't read them. Wait there's this one: **who's your favorite member in BTS apart from me?** "

" I didn't have the opportunity to spend much time with BTS members. We met only once so I don't know how to answer that question."

" But you said you watched our videos so you must have preferences." He insisted, curious to know the answer.

" Well, Suga-ssi was born the same year as me so I guess we could get along well. RM-ssi has been really nice to me too and JHope-ssi & Jin-ssi are full of positive energy. They have a bright aura! Jimin-ssi and Taehyung-ssi are so cute when they bicker. They remind me of my relationship with my brother. You guys are so close to each other, it's really nice ! It's like having a lot of siblings."

" Ahh that was a very diplomatic answer! You just prevented a war between the members at home. " Jungkook couldn't imagine his hyung's reaction if she chose one favorite.

" Why are you giving me a tough question? Let me choose the next one!" Ji Eun said, taking over the computer to read the live reaction on her instagram.

" Oh look at this one: **Hello from India! Can you please sing us a song in English for all the international fans here?** What song could we sing? I don't know many English song's lyrics by heart. Oh I know, we could do _Just like a star_ by Corinne Bailey Rae. Do you know that one?"

" Yes, wait, your guitar is behind that chair. I'll bring it to you." He got up from his chair and came back a few seconds later with the guitar. Ji Eun started to tune it.

" I only remember the chorus" he said

" Ok, I'm ready. I can do the first verse and you do the chorus. Hana, dul, set" She played the first accord and started singing:

**Just like a star across my sky**

**Just like an angel off the page**

**You have appeared to my life**

**Feel like I'll never be the same**

**Just like a song in my heart**

**Just like oil on my hands**

**Oh, I do love you**

She looked at him through the whole song. Jungkook felt his heart beat faster. She was the angel and the star that blessed his life. Not the other way around. But hearing her say those beautiful words to him with her soft voice made him realize the extent of her love for him. Her eyes were telling him million things that made him dazed. It was thankfully his turn to sing, avoiding an emotional outburst in front of 6.5 million people watching them live.

**Still I wonder why it is**

**I don't argue like this with anyone but you**

**We do it all the time, blowing out my mind**

He opened his eyes when he finished the chorus.

**I have come to understand the way it is**

**Is not a secret anymore**

**'Cause we've been through that before**

**From tonight I know that you're the only one**

**I've been confused and in the dark**

**Now I understand, yeah, yeah**

Wow Lee Ji Eun really didn't know the effect she had on him every time she smiled.

He couldn't help smiling too when he heard the part about being the only one.

**I wonder why it is**

**I** **won't let my guard down for anyone but you**

**We do it all the time, blowing out my mind.**

**Just like a star across my sky, just like an angel off the page**

**You have appeared to my life, feel like I'll never be the same**

**Just like a song in my heart, just like oil on my hands**

**Honor to love you**

" Yeah that was great " she cheered while lowering the guitar in the ground. He clapped in happiness.

They looked again at the comments and questions. A lot of people asked again if they are dating. He was still not ready to answer that one. Some commented on the way she looked at him when she sang " Oh I do love you" and how he blushed and looked away. He didn't even realize he reacted that way!

" There's a question from mochihope about **what is our opinion about each other?** "

" I'll let you begin noona "

" Why me ? You go first"

" Aniyo, ladies first! My answer will depend on what you will say."

" Is that fair? Okay, hmmm my first impression was like aigoo he is really handsome up close but"

It stroked his ego to hear her say that in front of everyone.

" Is that so? " He had a huge smile on his face that turned into a frown when he heard the _but_ at the end of her sentence.

"Why is there a _but_....?"

" Jeon Jungkook-ssi let me finish please before jumping to conclusion. Where was I?"

" You said I was really handsome. " he snickered

" Oh right, so when I learned more about his personality, I discovered that his beauty was not only outside but mostly inside. I saw that he is one of the most hard working and humble person I know and he has a golden heart. You deserve everything you got today. I admire that you always give 100% of yourself to everything you do because you want to make your fans and the people around you happy. "

He was sure his ears were bright red. He fidgeted in his chair, clearly moved by her words and a bit shy after hearing the compliment.

" Thank you" he bowed " I don't know what to say...there's a lot of things... IU sunbaenim is someone you can always rely on. I see it in the way she behaves with IU team. They bicker and tease each other a lot because she considers them as her family and friends. She's the kind of friend that you want to have for life because she's loyal and caring, down to earth and is very good at listening. She's also not afraid to give her opinion. She looks tiny but she carries a lot on her shoulder and I think she came this far because she's very brave and stayed true to herself."

He looked at her to see her reaction. She was equally flustered, hid her blushing face in her hand and then thanked him.

" Thank you, that's very kind of you. That was one of the nicest thing someone ever said to me."

Jungkook knew it was the perfect transition to the main purpose of the live tonight. So he took a deep breath and started the announcement.

" Actually there's something important we wanted to talk about to you because IU sunbaenim and I wished to always be sincere to our fans. We thought it would be better to address it directly to you and explain it. I hope you guys will be understanding. "

He turned to Ji Eun to signal her that it was the right time. She nodded so he continued.

"As you know, we started to collaborate on the duet 4 four months ago. We got to spend time together and learned to know about each other during that time. So we started dating recently. I'm aware that this is the first time a Bangtan Sonyeondan member officializes a relationship. It might feel weird that's it's the maknae. My hyungs are very happy for us. I hope this news will not cause trouble for them or BTS. I would also ask for you to be kind to IU sunbaenim. As you might know, I've liked her since I was 12 and she inspired me to be a singer. That we are now together feels like a dream come true. The fact that I love her does not mean I love Army less. I think it made me love Army even more because in a way you made everything possible. I have enough love in my heart for all of you and for her. I will always be thankful for all your love and will keep working hard to make you happy. "

" As he said we wanted to be open with you and prevent you from being notified by stolen photos or news scandal in the press. We do not wish to hurt anyone. I sincerely apologize if this news is upsetting to anyone. We instantly connected through our love for music, for our respective fans and for the job we are doing. We both debuted very young and went through the same hardship in the music industry. I've never met a man who could understand me like Jungkook does. He's a very supportive and caring boyfriend. It felt almost natural to fall in love with him. We are very happy right now, even if it's just the beginning, we hope to stay that way. To Uaena and Army, I hope you guys will be supportive! Thank you for all your love. Uaenas thank you for your support throughout the years and for being there through the ups and downs. I love you all. We will both work hard on our careers and help each other grow."

" I'm sorry too if I disappointed some of you. That is not my intention. We both talked about it a lot and decided to give ourself a chance as a couple as our mutual feeling were obvious. We were at first afraid about people's reaction. However we came to the conclusion that before being an idol, we are also human beings who deserve to be happy. I sincerely hope you'll be understanding and not get too hurt by this news."

" So that's it, I was very nervous when we started the live but now I feel better." Ji Eun said

" Me too" he admitted. That burden was lifted from his shoulder but he was still afraid to look at the comments.

" So that's the big news. I don't know what else to say after that. "Jungkook's mind was just muddled.

Thankfully, Ji Eun filled the blank.

" We also discussed about how meaningful our duet was to us and how we could share to other people. Many people are having a hard time right now due to the economic crisis. So we decided to donate all this song's profits and royalties earned by both of us to two charities for families in need in South Korea" she announced

"It felt right to give back when we received so much. This song brought us happiness, we hope it will help, even it's a little bit, other people. " He added

"So how are you guys doing? " Jungkook asked the camera. He glanced at the comments : " **OMG I knew it** ", " **NOOO oppa** ", " **So happy for you** " "😥😥💔💔💔" and his worries increased for Army.

" I'll understand if you stop supporting me from now on. I can understand that I'm not the idol you once knew and loved or maybe that you'll be hurt by this news. If you decide to leave the Army fandom, just know that I'm thankful for the moments we shared. Thank you for loving us, it means a lot to me. If one day you'll decide to come back, I will always be here. "

"Whatever happens in our personal life, it will not affect our commitment to music and to the fans. Jeon Jungkook and Lee Ji Eun are the one who are dating. I think I need to separate who I am to him and who is IU to Uaena in order to protect our privacy. I hope you can understand that. Uaenas we've been through a lot together, I hope you can be happy for me. We'll see each other soon because I'm preparing a new album."

"I just wanted to add another thing: it's okay to express your opinion but please let's all be kind to each other. Please don't insult the other fandom or say mean things about each other. We're only human and some things can hurt too."

"Our agencies will take legal actions against malicious comments, stalking, violation of privacy and bullying. If you are a photographer or sasaeng fans, please just let us live our life in peace. We'll keep a low profile and live quietly from now on: so let's not cause unecessary trouble." He heard her say

"We just want from time to time to be able to go out like a normal couple. We're in our 20's but we both missed a lot of normal life experiences. Could you please just respect our privacy? Thank you ! Okay I think that's all for tonight. Noona, do you have something else to say? "

" I think I already talked too much, I'll stop here. Thank you everyone, see you soon, you're the best! " Ji Eun cheered

" See you for the next vlive, I'll be doing one in two weeks with V hyung and Jimin hyung. I purple you !"

" Bye" they both said and ended the live

Jungkook laid on the floor when they finished. His mind and body were exhausted from the stress this announcement caused. Ji Eun joined him on the floor and they just stared at the ceiling in silence.

"That went better than I thought" she finally said

" Yes, except for the chocolate episode"

"I still can't believe you ate it. I put it next to my bag, surely it meant they were mine. I should have known it was you, we love the same snack brands. Guess what they say is true: love really turns people blind." They laughed at her statement and she snuggled closer to him

" I love you too Lee Ji Eun" Jungkook said, kissing her temple

" I know" she replied, smiling up at him

" Come on, my hyungs are waiting for us at home" he offered a hand to help her to get up

"Let's go!" she took his hand and didn't let it go until they were in his car


	21. Bonus chapter 2/ Reactions

Breaking News: **_BTS Jungkook and IU are dating !_**

_**by Lia Park** _

The news that Jungkook from BTS and IU are dating dropped last night. Dating speculations arose when the two released a song « From Lily, with love » two weeks ago. The two superstars confirmed in person the rumors during a joint live on social media. An unconventional method indeed to confirm a relationship. As some of you might know, idols avoid public dating due to the possibility of causing a scandal. Usually the agencies publish a statement regarding the rumor and only then the celebrities can decide or not to share a message to their fans.

Jungkook and IU seemed to favor another method as they both took time to explain the blossoming of their love story to their respective fans.

Jungkook has already mentioned many times during past interviews that IU was his ideal type. It seems like 4 months ago, they began to work on a song together and that time solidified their mutual interest in each other. It is not clear when they started dating as they only stated it was recent.

During their live yesterday, the couple explained what they admired the most in the other and a lot of fans were melting at their sweet answers and compliments. From gently bickering to saying affectionate words and laughing together, they proved their incredible chemistry in their recent MV, SNS lives and appearance on TV.

However, this still comes as a huge deal for the entire kpop world as Jungkook is part of the biggest kpop group in the world and IU was dubbed years ago as South Korea's little sister. While BTS became the most successful Korean artist abroad, IU has been reigning for years on top of South Korea's charts and TV. We are eager to see if this news will affect in a positive or negative way BTS's sales and explosive ascension and if it will change IU's popularity.

What do you think about this dating news? Leave your opinion in the comments section below.

**COMMENTS**

**_@kimjoon77_** **:** The people saying they are surprised by this news were really blind the last few weeks. All the evidences were brought in front of our eyes!

 **@kanghyojin** : kooku fam's been right all along !!

 ** _@xoArmy25_** **:** fans are getting ready to support and defend them from delulu and antis. Like they said yesterday: just leave them alone! They are adults who can do whatever they want with their lives.

 ** _@2001AlanaT_** **:** I'm not going to say I'm super happy by the news. I cried a little when I heard about it. I thought a lot about it last night. Even if it was delusional to think that BTS will stay single forever, I had hoped they will be exclusively Army's boyfriends for life. I know it sounds crazy but knowing their heart can belong to someone else makes my own heart ache. I think I was so deeply invested in the fandom and everything concerning the boys that I lost a bit of my capacity to think clearly. I will continue supporting them, but it would be best to take a break from the obsessive behavior I had before. I am still crying when I think about what Jungkook said if we leave the fandom and I see how happy he is with her. I know I want them to be happy but some things take time to accept. I'm torn.

 **@leejunhee** : Hey **@2001AlanaT** , if you want to talk more about it, send me a private message. It's good that you're expressing your thoughts instead of bottling it up inside.

 **@user24271609:** they look so good together !!

 **@uaenarmyL :** I knew something was going on when they released the song and then the MV was out and my suspicions were confirmed. Their chemistry on the screen was beyond any level. It was obvious they were not acting and truly loved each other. I'm so happy for them. I discovered IU's music through Jungkook years ago and I've been a fan of both of them since then. I feel like I'm dreaming !!! IUxJK fighting !

 **@Jen.G280404** : Never heard about IU before. I'll spend the next hour watching her videos and Instagram account. The Golden maknae even beat all the olders members when it came to dating. hahaha I wonder what was BTS's members reaction when they heard the news.

 **@JayBXL:** I still don't understand why dating news are considered as a scandal in Korea. Why do they make a relationship between two people in love sound like a bad thing?

 **@ChoiMiha** : Hi **@JayBXL** , Korean social expectations are different. The title of "idol" comes with a pure image and entire devotion to their fans. When the idol strays from that image, it can be considered by some fans as a betrayal. Nowadays, Korean people are more open to celebrities dating but just like in other countries, everyone is very curious about what happens in these celebrity's personal life. The news is all over the media right now and people talk about it as they are both preeminent public figures. IU is very popular with korean guys and BTS's fans are mostly females. Just wait for the storm to pass, people will forget about it sooner or later.

 **@ElMera:** I thought he was in a secret relationship with Yein from Lovelyz or maybe Tzuyu of Twice. I was certain IU was not interested in a guy 4 years younger than her. Guess I was wrong, oups

 **@miachingu** : They deserve all the love in the world !! International Army, please keep tweeting #IUxJK and #WeAreHappyForYouJK on twitter to show them our support. We're trending #1 in 41 countries.

 **@tigerIU:** Disappointed in my sunshine IU, never thought she would fall for the charms of a flower boy from a boygroup. She deserves better.

 **@JKismylife** : let me guess, that "better"person is you **@tigerIU**? Go back to your pathetic life. FYI Jungkook is a million times better than your so-called "sunshine"

 **@PHExoVIP1:** guys, let's not fight, remember what they said yesterday. JK and IU are both amazing persons. We don't know them personally to say things in their places. Let's just be happy for them and move on with this topic.

 **@2705Fans** : Do you think they will last? IU and Jungkook have very busy schedules. When are they going to find time for dates? I'm not trying to hate their couple, I'm just voicing a concern.

 **@ILKooku:** I'm so jealous of them, they got everything: the talent, the fame, the good looks, the money and now they're like a perfect couple. They are my new relationship goal!

 **@user1178** : Don't you think this is just a publicity stunt to boost their song and respective popularity? Everything feels fake and scripted: the overly cute scenes in the MV, all of their appearances together playing perfect couple. BTS rarely promoted their collaboration, and suddenly we see those two everywhere. IU has always been very protective of her private life. I think their agencies are pushing it for Jungkook and IU to be the power couple of kpop. I smell something fishy like how SM made us believe Baekhyun and Taeyeon were dating amidst the Kris scandal....

 **@lizkookshiiii** : yeah you're right **@user1178** , all of this is fake. lizkook is the ultimate couple, stop shipping him with other people.

 **@jikooklover** : I fucking hate IU, why did she interfere in JK's life and stole him from Jimin?

@ **JangEunji** : I'm so mad !!! All the money I spent on merchs, concerts, weverse was not for him to use for his dates with his "girlfriend". All the speeches about: "why do we need girlfriends when we have Army" were just excuses to bleed us dry.

@ **2705fans** : @ **JangEunji** honey, nobody forced you to buy those things. He can do whatever he wants with what he earns and in his private life. Toxic fans like you are the reason why idols are so afraid of living fully their life. Please just stop this nonsense. You have to respect his decision.

 **@AlexRand** : The way they look at each other is so cute. You can see how much he loves her. I wanna be IU !!!

 **@trinityTW** : Oh God, not them again. IU is a sly fox, acting all innocent but she's actually a conceited bitch. Just watch an episode of IU TV or her scandal with Eunhyuk of Super Junior and you'll see what I'm talking about. She's "korea's queen of music" because she's one of the most calculative person in that industry. And don't get me started with Jungkook: behind the "I'll do better but I'm still better than anyone else in whatever I do " (which is kinda boring to hear) lies an attention seeker. He's always stealing the spotlight from the other members. The boy is clearly going through a late period of teenage rebellion. They are both overhyped and being together will only boost their already big ego.

 ** _@xoArmy25:_** gonna report some of those comments to Big Hit and Edam Entertainment ****

 **@weirdgirl16** : Jungkook getting the girl of his dreams is like every fanboy/fangirl's wish. Hahaha maybe there's still hope for us waiting for our bias to notice us!! Congrats IU and JK !!!!

 **@choimingyu** No one literally no one:😵 Taekook shippers: we are done *raising the white flag*

 **@lullaxxi:** just watched Break the Silence recently and I heard Jungkook say he believes his destiny was already written. How BTS came together was fate. Suga said the same thing. Jungkook talked about deja vu and foreseen events that he had the feeling will come true. I think it's beautiful that IU was one his inspiration to sing and he's been a loyal fan since his debut. How he worked hard to be where he is today and also managed to get noticed by her. He said he loved Army even more now because we made all of his dreams possible. IU also went on a long journey from poverty & failure to stardom. In a way, I think they were meant to be, like their destinies were intertwined since the beginning. Maybe that was the message in their MV: their characters kept searching for each other in different lifes, the happy ending will come (I sincerely hope) in their real life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Photo edit: ijkooku


	22. Bbibbi

The night settled an hour ago in Seoul. She loved the city at night when everything was dark with the building and street lights bringing hope and a particular ambiance to the hyperactive metropol. Jungkook was driving his Mercedes to Hannam-dong. Ji Eun put some songs while they were stuck in the traffic in Itaewon-ro and they just bobbed to the music they knew. 

" There's something I haven't told you" Jungkook began and she turned to look at him

" It's our free weekend so everyone will leave tomorrow morning to spend two days in their homes. Yoongi hyung and Taetae hyung are going back to Daegu. Jimin hyung will go home to Busan by train and the others will spend time with their families in Seoul. “

“What about you? Don’t you want to see your parents in Busan? “ she asked

“They’re coming in two weeks in Seoul so I don’t have to go there.” His worried eyes looked at her again and she wondered why he was nervous.

“I called them yesterday to say we’re dating. They’re very happy and would love to meet you. Are you okay with that? “

“Yes, of course. I’m looking forward to meet them.” Why was he nervous? Did he think she would say it was too soon? An idea flashed into her mind.

“It would be great to do something all together with our parents. You said your parents are coming in two weeks, right? I’m not sure but I think mine are free that weekend. How about a barbecue party in my parent’s house? My brother is in Seoul for one month so you can meet my family too and of course my grandma. My grandma will absolutely love you. “

“My brother won’t be there but we’ll catch up another time when he will be in Seoul with his girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I’m excited but at the same time nervous to meet your family.”

“They already love you. Are your dad and brother going to give me a hard time? I’ve never been introduced to a girlfriend’s parents before. I almost forgot it’s customary to bring gifts. You should tell me what they like. “

“Hmmm my dad is a baseball fan and his recent obsession was the karaoke machine so I don’t know. Joo Hoon is very simple, you give him a new videogame and he’ll be happy. Or just tell him you’re friends with Cardi B and Post Malone and then he’ll think you’re the coolest person on Earth. My mom loves flowers and designer sneakers. And we’re not ready yet to give my grandma what she craves the most.”

“Let me guess: great-grandkids? “ they just laughed and Ji Eun changed the subject

“ What about your parents? I won’t come empty handed.”

“My dad’s not expressive about what he likes. Our parents are from the same generation, they might have similar taste. I’m sure my mom secretly loves bags.”

“Great, I’ll think of something for your dad, maybe a watch.”

They finally arrived at Hannam Hill and she was relieved to see that there was a private entrance to the residence and the parking was below their own building.

“Nobody followed us? “ she worried

“I don’t think so. And if they did, they can’t go beyond the gates without authorization.” He sighed in relief. The perks of living inside the most expensive complex building in Seoul.

“ If everyone is leaving tomorrow, does it mean we have the house to ourselves this weekend?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t catch that info sooner” he mocked, Ji Eun pinched his cheeks

“But I don’t have any change of clothes!” she exclaimed

“ You can wear mine” he said with mischief in his eyes

“Aigo, you planned all of this!”

“ Everyone is worried about me recently, so they thought it would be good to give us time alone amidst all this scandal. I’m not ready to face the outside world. Let’s just hide in our bubble for two days, recharge our battery and I’ll promise I’ll be fine Monday to pursue my routine.”

She couldn’t imagine hiding alone in her apartment, obsessing about people’s reaction and replying to her friend’s texts all day. Jungkook and she desperately needed each other in this difficult time. The aftermath of the dating announcement is going to be ugly. She avoided checking her phone, only telling Ji Hwan, Hanteo and Inna to call her instead of texting in case of emergency.

“Okay, let’s do that. BTS members are really considerate. It must be nice to have people who got your back forever.” She mused 

“ Sooooo welcome to our dorm” They took the stairs of the garage and entered the lobby.

“You can leave your shoes here” he pointed at the closet at the entrance. She looked around, it was a nice suite with a bright floor and ceiling.

“Hi everyone” she greeted when they entered the spacious living room

“Hello IU-sunbaenim, nice to see you again” she bowed back

“ Jimin-ssi, Taehyung-ssi, you can call me Ji Eun noona”

“Wow that sounds so great, welcome in our home Ji Eun noona.” Taehyung said

“ It’s weird to talk to you casually, I think it will take time to get used to it” Jimin confessed, visibly flustered

“Where are the others? “ Jungkook asked when he realized the kitchen was empty but something was cooking on the stove.

“Namjoon hyung is taking a shower and Hobi hyung is helping our official cooks tonight in the small kitchen upstairs.” Jimin replied. Jungkook guided her upstairs and whispered :

“ They don’t want to admit it in front of you but Jimin hyung, Taehyung hyung and Namjoon hyung are terrible cooks. We assigned them other tasks tonight: barman, DJ and game master. “

“I remember that episode of Run BTS were you had a cooking competition.”

“ Waahh daebak, I’m still amazed that you watch our videos”

“Aren’t I a good girlfriend? “ she tried aegyo

“My baby is the best!!” he imitated her cute pose. They laughed at their own silliness. 

“Annyeonghaseyo” she bowed when she spotted the other members

“Ji Eun sunbaenim, I’m so happy to see you” said JHope

“Nice to meet you too. How should I call you? Jhope-ssi, Hoseok-ssi? “

“Hobi is fine! Can I call you noona? “

“Of course”

“What are you cooking? “ Jungkook peaked inside the cooking pot

“We’re preparing samgyeopsal (pork strips), japchae (stir-fried noodles) and tteokbokki (spicy rice cake). “ Jin replied

“Do you need help? “ Ji Eun asked

“ We’re almost done. Oh…hmm Yoongi may need help with the gimbap. We ordered fried chicken so JK could you please take the order? The delivery man will be here in 15mn. Someone also need to watch the tteokbokki in the kitchen downstairs so it won’t be overcooked. Thanks! ”

Ji Eun washed her hands and came towards Yoongi.

“Yoongi oppa, how can I help you?” he was a bit taken aback so she apologized

“Sorry, was it too weird to call you oppa? I did it just once when we first met 4 months ago.”

“Anyo anyo, it’s okay, it’s just surreal to hear IU sunbaenim call me oppa. It’s fine!”

“Ok, like I said before, you can call me Ji Eun. How can I help you? “

“The omelet, spinach and carrots are ready. I’m just cooking the crab sticks. Could you please place the cooked rice into a mixing bowl then add salt and 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil ? Thank you!”

She searched the utensils around the kitchen and rolled up her sleeves to work on the gimbap. She struggled when it was time to pill up the ingredients on the dried seaweed and Yoongi gently explained to her his technique to roll the seaweed. They cheered when she successfully finished 3 rolls of gimbap.

Jungkook came back saying the tteokbokki and the fried chicken were ready. She was in the middle of cutting the rolls when he came behind her, kissed her cheeks, stole one gimbap to ate it.

“Yah! What are you doing? “ she hit him with the rice spatula 

“I can’t give it back, it’s already in my mouth. It’s delicious.” He said with his mouth full

“Jungkook you’re not allowed in this kitchen anymore. Tell the boys downstairs to prepare the table. Everything is ready.“ Yoongi said. Jungkook gave him a military salute and left.

“Ah jinjja, how do you deal with that one everyday? “she asked Hobi, Yoongi and Jin who erupted in laughter 

They took the dishes downstairs and everyone settled around the table. She greeted Namjoon.

“Thank you for the dishes” Taehyung said and they started to eat

“So how do you feel now that the big news is out? “ asked Hobi

“ It’s weird, I’m feeling many emotions at once: relief, fear, excitement. I don't know what will happen but we did right by everyone so my heart feels less heavy “ Ji Eun confessed

“My mind was all over the place during live. I don't want to hurt people but I know it's inevitable. I just wanna have more freedom to enjoy my life. I'm scared people would take it on Ji Eun noona. Again, I'm sorry for always being the one to cause trouble for the group." said Jungkook

" Gwenchana Kookie-ah. You're a good kid. Everything will be alright. We're happy for you two. Focus on your well being. " comforted Yoongi and Jungkook nodded, touched by the words

" Everyone's talking about it right now but it will pass in a few days. We have the 6th muster shows coming next week so we hope Army will be distracted by that ." Jin said to them

“You’re the number one topic on Naver, V live and Twitter. The hashtag #WeAreHappyForYouJK was tweeted 5millions times and #IUxJK 7 millions in a few hours. Guys, you even were on the 8pm TV news !! Can you believe that?” Taehyung exclaimed while stuffing japchae in his mouth. 

" We all watched your vlive. You did great. You were so cute together. The reaction was overall positive. I think a lot of people were waiting for this news. " Namjoon said. Ji Eun sighed in relief, glad they got support. 

" Yeah, you were so cute, it made me sick of jealousy. I wanna end my celibacy, I' m gonna find someone too. We'll do double dates" joked Jimin

" Good luck in not antagonizing the girl again" Yoongi mumbled and Jimin stuck his tongue at him

" What happened with Jeongyeon was an accident that blew out of proportion." Jimin tried to justify.

Ji Eun coughed up the kimchi in her mouth when she heard it. Jungkook patted her back and gave her a glass of water. 

" Wait, Jeongyeon from Twice? What happened?" Her curiosity was picked

" Well, I kinda had a crush on her, then we exchanged numbers at ISAC. We had a fling. I don't know what I did wrong but then she ghosted me, saying she was busy. I was busy too but I made the effort to text her whenever I could. I thought it was over but we met Twice again at Music Bank. Then there was that stupid video showing I was a bit annoyed when she sang Spring day. And she started hating me after that, saying she was hurt by my actions when she sincerely tried to cheer on BTS. I apologized but she still haven't forgotten that incident." Jimin explained

" It became an inside joke between Army and Once." Hobi added

" I know Twice well, do you want me to explain to her it was a misunderstanding?"

" Anyo, thanks noona but it's okay. I'm over it now." Jimin blushed and hid his face behind his bowl of rice. So she dropped the subject, instead asking them about their hobbies. 

The dinner went well and they talked about their upcoming world tour in september.

" It's always a big moment of stress. We're going to do 17 stadium shows in three months in North & South America and Europe. We'll take a break at the end of year for the award seasons and then we'll do the shows in Asia in February. It's physically demanding but it brings the best sensation of our career." Namjoon said.

So that means they have the summer together and then her boyfriend will be gone for 3 months on the opposite side of the world. 

" I'm so thankfull to not have such difficult choreographies for my songs. Yeah I agree 100 %. Being on stage is the best feeling ever." She nodded

" Noona, I heard you sing for 3 or 4 hours straight during a concert. My throat can't handle that." Jimin pointed out

" It's great but I don't know if our bodies can keep up for a few more years. I try to control my energy and not overdo things but it's still exhausting." Confessed Hobi

" But seeing so many people singing, being happy compensate everything." Jungkook said while putting more porks portion in her plate. She fed him tteokbokki in return. 

" One of my favorite moment was when Army sang Forever young in Wembley. I was so moved by the gesture." Taehyung said

" We gain as much as we lose other things" reflected Yoongi

" We overcame so much together. I've already said this but I'm grateful for you 6 and what we build together. And welcome to the family Ji Eun-ssi" Jin raised his glass

" Yeah whatever happens, we got your back too noona, don't worry." Taehyung added

" Thank you" she smiled 

" Woahh we're getting sentimental here. Let's bring more soju so we could laugh and cry together." Namjoon laughed 

They talked more about the pros and cons of their job, sharing funny backstage mishaps, exchanging about the importance of self reflection and improvement. 

They played Jenga after dinner. Taehyung launched a catchy songs playlist to disturb everyone's concentration. Namjoon who was nicknamed God of destruction by the others obviously managed to destroy the tower when he took one piece out. 

" Ok guys, the next game is a quizz: geography, history, korean proverbs, pop culture. So Hobi and I will ask the questions and count the points for each team. Please pick a card to know on which team you are." Namjoon announced 

" Noona, I hope you won't be on the same team as Taetae hyung and Jimin hyung. They suck at geography and korean proverbs." Jungkook whispered to her 

" I heard you Jungkook!" Exclaimed Jimin

She picked a card first as she was the guest. It was a yellow card. 

" Great, a yellow card like in Bbibbi" she cheered 

The BTS members picked a card one by one and she ended up with Jin and Taehyung. Jungkook was in team Blue with Yoongi and Jimin. 

" We will ask a member of each team to step forward. The first to find the right answer get a point. You have 3 guesses and the other team members can't help you. Arrasseo?" Hobi explained 

Namjoon asked Ji Eun and Jimin to step forward

" First question, geography, what is the capital of Brazil?" 

Jimin was quick to shout : " Sao Paulo " 

" Ddaeng" yelled Namjoon

" What??? I thought it was that. We had a concert there. Did I pronounce it wrong?"

" The pronunciation was right but it's not the capital."

Her braincells were moving. She remembered seeing the name once in a book she read last summer. It was something close to the country's name.

" Oh ! I know it's Brasilia" she yelled

" Yes! 1 point for Team Yellow, 0 for Team Blue" they cheered for her, even Jungkook who was in the adverse team. Jin and Taehyung high fived her.

They continued the quizz. Jin was very good at the korean proverbs but Yoongi was scoring points at the history quizz. Taehyung and Jimin were the best at the pop culture questions. Jungkook knew his geography while she fared well on all the categories. The scores were tied. It was a friendly competition, very funny indeed. They were cracking up at some wrong answers. 

She was against Jungkook again for the last question. 

" Jagiya, you should just let me win." She taunted him with an aegyo

" Wow wow wow gamemasters we have a cheating tentative from Team Yellow." She laughed at Jimin who was raising his hand

" First warning for Ji Eun noona. Please do not disturb your opponent." 

" In your dreams, jagiya. I'm gonna win this." Jungkook replied with a smirk

" Ready? Ok! Who was the real name of Taejo of Joseon, founder of Korea's last royal dynasty?" Hobi read. She was pretty sure she knew the name of the first three kings of Joseon dynasty (thanks to Moonlovers Scarlet Ryeo and Hotel del Luna) but couldn't remember the order. 

"Yi Bang Won " she said but it was wrong

" I know, it's Yi Do" Jungkook said

" Anyo, that's his grandchild King Sejong." Ji Eun said and just like that she finally remembered the right answer, thanks to Jungkook. 

" Yi Song-gye, it's Yi Song-gye"

" Correct ! Team Yellow wins the quizz. Chukkae !" The gamemasters clapped and she was engulfed in a hug by Jin and Taehyung. DJ V put her song Bbibbi and they joyfully sang and did the choreo of the chorus while flashing their yellow cards at Jungkook's team.

Yoongi and Hobi were laughing on the floor.

" Aigo, you're too cute, I can't even stay mad at you " Jungkook pinched her cheeks and kissed her. The others whistled and clapped, she was so embarrassed.

" My poor innocent eyes" cried Jimin

She discovered some aspects of their personalities by playing card games with them: 

\- Taeyhung was the playful one who loved teasing the others. She loved how he rolled his eyes or gave stink eye to whoever pointed out he was not following the rules.

\- She thought she knew the extent of Jungkook’s competitiveness, but he reached another level when he played with his hyungs.

\- Jin was surprisingly less confident in general than the persona he showed on screen.

\- Because he appeared like a ray of sunshine with a smile on his face, she thought Hobi would be the most carefree and louder member but he was mostly a quiet and observant person.

\- Yoongi kept winning at poker because he was the most difficult one to read and easily bluffed everyone. 

\- Jimin was like an open book, so he sucked at poker but he was the best at making everyone laugh

\- Namjoon was always considerate of everyone's opinion and feelings and the conversations with him were really interesting. 

She was glad she met them. Jungkook was surrounded by amazing supportive brothers who knew how to take care of him. They tried their best to cheer the couple up and made them forget the chaos caused by their dating news. 

They were eating chicken and drinking soju in front of the TV while the boys were playing Overwatch. She finished a bottle by herself (cheers to Chamisul) and started to doze off in Jungkook's lap. Yoongi played BTS songs in the background so she started their fanchant:

" Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin...ah wait who's next? Anyway,I love you guys !!! You're the best. Thank you for giving us the house this weekend. I can't promise we'll behave" she giggled 

" It's fine as long as you two don't have sex in the kitchen and the common bathroom. " said Taehyung who successfully dodged the pillow thrown by Jungkook

" Watch your mouth Taehyungie" her boyfriend warned

" Wae? I'm just saying out loud what everyone is too embarrassed to say. I can't brush my teeth, take a shower and do my business in a bathroom where you did dirty things." 

Ji Eun believed she would die of laughter. They were all laughing so much.

" Ok, ok" she agreed 

" Come on sleepy head, time to go to bed" Jungkook lifted her in his arms.

It was 2 am, the party was over so they said goodbyes and made their way towards their bedrooms. Jungkook helped her clean up and gave her a grey shirt. 

They cuddled on his bed and she buried her head in his chest, needing comfort more than ever.


	23. Magic shop

**Like a blossoming flower, like a cherry tree, like a morning glory, like a beautiful moment,**

**I always want to be the best**

**So I was impatient and I was always nervous and comparisons with others have became my routine.**

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

Ji Eun was still sleeping when Jungkook awoke to say goodbye to his hyungs.

Yoongi, Jimin and Taehyung were already gone to catch their trains to Daegu and Busan so only Namjoon, Jin and Hobi sat at the breakfast table.

"Hi" he greeted

" Hey JK, did you sleep well? No hangover? " asked Hobi

"Nope but Ji Eun noona is still out" he replied, starting the coffee machine and yawning

" Jimin called 30mn ago. There's a bunch of reporters and photographers waiting outside of Hannam Hill's gates and some followed the boys van to the train station. Ji Eun and you should be careful and avoid going outside. We know you Jungkook, don't blame yourself okay? They are the one who should be ashamed of their behavior. They will leave us alone when they will realize there's nothing interesting going on." Calmly said Jin

" I know but I'm still sorry for all this mess " he sighed and sat next to Namjoon

" Remember what I said: not everyone can love us, when there's light, there's darkness too so focus on the people who love you. Just stay at home, order food, relax, spend time with your girlfriend and everything will be alright." Namjoon tried to reassure him.

They left one by one after that and Jungkook found himself alone in the big living area. He hesitated before turning on his phone. He got 1 missed call from his brother, 2 missed calls from Jimin and Taehyung and 41 texts.

**_" I'm off for the weekend but text me if something happens. Take care!" (Sejin hyung)_ **

_**" Hey lil bro, congratulations! I feel bad now for making fun of you 10 years ago when you said you'll marry IU one day. Guess it wasn't that impossible and you were right to keep having faith. See ya soon. 😉**_ " **_(Jeon Jung Hyun hyung)_**

He regretted not telling his brother sooner, being informed by gossip media online was not appropriate. He called him right away.

"Yeoboseyo?"

"Hey hyung, I hope you're well"

"Hi Jungkook! I'm fine, and you lucky boy? "

" I'm fine thanks. I'm sorry you found it out like this. I should have texted you. I told Mom and Dad yesterday and I thought they would tell you."

" It's okay, I was really surprised, I read the article twice and then laughed for 10mn. I couldn't believe you got your girl." Jung Hyun snickered

" Thank you hyung. Ji Eun noona told me she would be happy to meet you and Kang Su-Hyeon noona whenever you come to Seoul"

"Great, I'll bring a notebook for an autograph or maybe that IU poster you secretly used to kiss when you were 13. Mom still kept it in a box in the attic."

"Oh my god, don't embarrass me like that please, or I'll tell your girlfriend you used to jerk off with pictures of Boa. That's even more disgusting." He threatened

"Jinjja? My namdongsaengie is playing dirty. You really grew up! I'm happy for you. Baby Kook got everything he wanted in the end."

" Yeah" he replied quietly

"Look, I gotta go, it's Saturday but I'm covering an extra shift for a sick colleague. Text me whenever you can. I miss you"

" Yeah, I'll make sure to keep you updated. I'll see you soon I hope. Bye hyung"

Jungkook groaned when he saw the number of texts on Kakao talk. They came mostly from the 97's liners group chat.

_**" Yo JK aka International Playboy, congrats on not being single anymore. Lucky you " '(Yugyeom)** _

_**" Oh yeah I didn't expect it all. Nancy, Doyeon and so many idol girls are going to be disappointed. I'm sure Suho-hyung is crying somewhere...kkkkk...Anyway, chukkae JK!!!!" (Jaehyun)** _

_**" About time, congrats Jungkook. I'll be cheering on you two." (Eun Woo)** _

_**"Dude, you went from "I can't even talk to her" two years ago to "I'm banging her" now. I'm impressed." (BamBam)** _

_**" BamBam, why do you have to be so crude??" (Mingyu)** _

" ** _Sorry guys, I didn't mean to be disrespectful. Watched your vlive yesterday with the boys, gotta say you two were cute. Jackson hyung laughed at how much you're whipped. Man, I'm jealous, I miss being in love_**." **_(BamBam)_**

_**" Hey busy people! We need to celebrate it: karaoke, club, restaurant, whatever you want and whenever you can." (the8)** _

_**" Now that you have a girlfriend, can you even go out and party with us anymore? Is she the jealous type? " (Yugyeom)** _

_**"Older girls are different. That's why I quit being interested in the clingy young girls. I'd rather be with an independent and mature woman who would be understanding of my way of life." (Mingyu)** _

_**"I know,that's why we are so different Mingyu. I prefer girls with a lot of aegyo, someone younger than me, someone I can take care of. I want her to only look at me, so I'll obviously stay at home and avoid situations where she can also be jealous. It's only fair." (DK)** _

_**"Dogyeom, our jobs require interactions with a lot of fangirls and we work in the same environment as the most gorgeous girls of this country. How can you avoid that? " (Jaehyun)** _

They all started to argue about their ideal types and Jungkook couldn't keep up anymore with the conversations. He thought about what to say to his friends.

_**"Hey guys, thanks !! My agency told me to keep a low profile for the next months so no club and karaoke bar. But I guess dining at one's home or going to a restaurant nearby is ok." (JK)** _

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

" Hi baby, how long have you been awake?" Ji Eun asked with a yawn.

" One hour ago. Everyone left"

She kissed him and went to the kitchen to get a cup of tea but she struggled to reach the mug on the high cupboard. Jungkook gulped when her mouvements lifted up his grey shirt to reveal her black panties and his eyes wandered to her creamy legs.

" Jagiya, I'm too short for this. I need help."

He finally came to his senses and went behind her to get the mug.

" You look so damn sexy right now ." He whispered in her ear

" Remember what we promised yesterday: no sex in the kitchen. But we can for sure have fun in your bedroom." She giggled

" Come on then, I'm gonna devour you."

Ji Eun sprinted to his bedroom and he ran after her.

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

" We're stuck at home. So what else do you want to do?" He asked, leaving a trail of kisses across her bare back

" You haven't shown me yet the rest of your dorm. You know what, it can wait. Just keep doing what you're doing right now. It feels good." She moaned

" Jieun-ah, I'm getting hard again. Are you up for another round?"

" Jagiya you got stamina, strong thighs and the most delicious abs. If I knew this is what it would be like to date a young and healthy idol who loves to workout, then I would have dated you sooner. Why did it take you so long to make a move on me? You got plenty of opportunities over the years."

" I was too shy. I tried at the end of the year in 2017. I gave so many hints that I like you but you also took time to give me a sign. Now that I got you, I'm not letting you go and I'm gonna make it up to you. " He crushed his lips against hers and got rid of the sheets that went in his way to caress her thighs.

" Let's change position. Lie on your back."

He did as she told and let her climb on top of him. His eyes widened when he got a full view of her perky breasts and her black hair falling over the side of her neck.

" Jeon Jungkook, I'm gonna ride you until you forgot your own name." She smiled devilishly at him and Jungkook went to heaven.

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

**But then, looking back, in fact, I do not think I wanted to be the best, I wanted to be upset and touched. I want to take your sadness and pain.**

**I want to disappear forever. Let's make a door. It's in your heart, open the door and this place will wait, like a Magic Shop.**

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

They quietly ate the leftovers from yesterday for lunch. Jin already put everything in the dishwasher this morning so Jungkook and Ji Eun only had to put them back in the shelves. They cleaned up the living room and the kitchen. And he offered a tour of the suite.

" It's nice to have our own bedrooms. There was a time when we shared bunker beds in one room. At that time, it was difficult to live with 6 other people in a tiny place but I learned a lot from that experience and it strengthened our bond."

" Sometimes,I feel sad when I come to an empty home after a long day of work. Yoo Inna lives in the same building so I come there at least once or twice a week. But it's not the same as coming home to a house full of laughter and love."

He sensed the longing and sadness in her voice. His busy life prevented him to promise her a home full of life and someone welcoming her everytime she came home. So he hugged her tight.

" What are you doing?" She asked, a little surprised by the gesture

" I'm sorry I can't make you feel less lonely. I'm sorry that I'm not even sure if we move in together in the future that I could be there every night due to my schedule. The future looks unclear for me. I don't even know what I would do when my time with BTS will end. It's inevitable, our body can't keep up with this hectic rythm for 10 more years. What will I do then? I can easily imagine being married to you and having kids. However, it's hard to think about a profesional life after BTS. "

This issue was one of his main concerns. He have started reflecting about it since 2018 when BTS was close to a disbandment.

" I understand. I'll need to slow down too at some point. I've proven myself and realized many dreams. I tried my best and succedded in my goals so I won't have regrets regarding my career. But I would love to keep singing as long as I can. You could do that too: be a solo singer, produce music and videos, or maybe take art classes. Jungkook, there's so many things you are good at."

" I'll think about it. Or I could open the restaurant like I told you when we first met or be a stay-at-home dad. I would love that." He mused

" But you'll miss being on stage, miss the fans and doing music."

He nodded because she was right. He was nothing without BTS, without the music and the love it brought.

He tried to release his hold on her but she refused

" Just hold me tighter please. I need this right now. You're my anchor when I feel weak, my evidence when the future is uncertain."

" I love you more than anything Lee Ji Eun. I hope you can feel that."

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, standing in the corridor, arms wrapped around each other.

" I want to show you something" Jungkook took her hand and guided her toward a small room in the basement.

" What is this?"

" Noona, welcome to the Golden Closet. This is where the magic happens! " he proudly announced and opened his studio's door.

" Daebak, you got your own music studio. " she looked around and touched the electronic keyboard

" I wanted to show you my last video edit and make you listen in exclusivity the songs from my first mixtape." She took a seat beside him and they watched the compilation video of their vacation in Incheon. He blushed when the background music came to the part where Bazzi sang: "The way that Gucci looks on you: amazing. But nothing can compare to when you're naked." He thought about her white and gold Gucci dress disgarded on his room's floor. She also looked good in his red flannel shirt and beige pants.

" Wow it's really nice. I love it. So this is what you do on your free time?"

" Editing video makes me happy and restore my energy." He explained

" What's the background music? "

" Beautiful by Bazzi "

" I look pretty in your video. The visual effect you used made me glow."

" It reflects the way I see you: you're shining bright and you're beautiful, sharp-witted, valuable, forever young, like a diamond."

" Thank you" she kissed him and gave him her brightest smile. He looked at her with pure adoration in his eyes. He felt so lucky to be by her side.

" This is the first song of my mixtape. I'm gonna release everything on my birthday." He played the full demo of Decalcomania.

"It's amazing. The lyrics are sad and self reflective but it's soothing. I feel like I should listen to it when I got insomnia. What are the other songs?" She asked, visibly excited.

" It's not fully done. Sometimes I'm unsatisfied with a part and record it again. Namjoon hyung was very helpful with the lyrics in english. Yoongi hyung and Jimin hyung helped with the production. I also got help from Big Hit producers Adora-ssi and Pdogg-hyung. Adora-ssi is an uaena, she's the one who buys IU merchs at your concerts for me. Next time you come to my agency, I'll introduce you to her. She'll be so happy. I'm not sure but I think Yoongi hyung has a crush on her. But shhht that's a secret between you and me."

He made her listen to the 3 other songs. Among them : one song called _Still_ _with you_ that he wrote for Army. He watched carefully her reaction. He couldn't help being nervous regarding his work. She pointed out her favorite parts and he took note of her advices to improve the songs. They worked on it for an hour.

" There's a last song for you. I started writing it 2 years ago, changed some lyrics and added another verse when we started dating."

This was his secret project for the last 2 years. The other members were not even aware of this. A part of him was afraid that Big Hit will prohibit him to release a song dedicated to his girlfriend, saying the focus should remain on his fans. Whatever happens, he was still glad Ji Eun could at least hear it.

" Nobody ever wrote an entire song about me. I love every part of it. I don't know what to say, I'm still shocked that you did that. I love you Jungkook. I should tell you that at the end of the song."

" Wow that's a good idea"

So he offered her an headphone, a mic and then recorded her sweet voice repeating " Love you". They added it as a background vocal at the end of his song.

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

They kept the curtains closed during the whole day in case someone was trying to spy. You never know how far paparazzi could go. They ate instant noodles for dinner and watched the last season of Casa del papel.

" What's your plan for the next months?" He asked her

" I have to work on my new album. It's more pop, like a good vibes feelings album for my fans. There will be one song about being 28 to continue my serie of age-related songs. I was thinking of trying a new style of music but I don't have ideas. Maybe an upbeat song with sad lyrics."

" You should ask Yoongi hyung. He's really a good producer."

" Why not! He's also 28 so it could be interesting to have his point of view in the song. Kookie-ah, I love when we're productive like this: despite being on a break, we still think about work." She chuckled

" So no drama this year?"

" No, they wanted me to replace Sulli in Persona 2 but it doesn't feel right. So no, I will be very busy with the album anyway. I don't wanna overwork. 2019 was really a painful year with Hara's and Sulli's passing. I also could hardly get days off, so this year I'll focus on my well-being."

" I support you 100% on that." He was glad she has more control over her schedule. He couldn't afford that luxury. Big Hit always have things planned one year in advance for BTS so unless someone get very sick or a catastrophe happens, the 7 of them had to stick to the schedule. The agency was good at making people believe BTS have freedom and a voice regarding their career but that was far from the reality. Too much money was at stake to let them do what they wanted. 

His thoughts were interrupted by Ji Eun's laugh.

" What's so funny?"

" Heechul oppa just texted me to give his best wishes for our couple and shared a long list of advices to date in serenity when you're a celebrity. Listen to the things he said :   
#4 when you go on a car date and stay in the parking, always have cash on you to bribe the employee at the parking convenience store.  
#7 if you two order food at home, be extra suspicious of the delivery men, some of them receive money from fans and paparazzi to give information.   
#8 never send nudes, revenge porn is an ugly reality and hackers are also very skilled nowadays.   
#9 if you two need help to find a discreet restaurant or a cinema for a date, just call me and I'll see what I can do.   
#10 let's do double dates."

" Heechul sunbaenim is a funny and caring guy." Jungkook laughed

" Yeah, he can be extra sometimes but he's a good guy. He and Lee Jong Gi oppa are like the older brothers I never had. I hope everything's fine with Momo-ssi."

" He's like me: a fanboy that ended up with his crush. He sounds like an idol dating expert."

" Yeah he dated many people so he got a few tips but don't tell him too many secrets. He blursts them out accidentally on TV from time to time or when he's drunk." She laughed

"Oh I almost forgot, I have something for you." he gave her the letter he prepared earlier this week.

" Thank you, I can't believe you still kept that promise, you don't have to write them anymore. You got me now, I can't be more in love with you than I am now. But it's still nice to receive them. "

"I'll continue if it makes you happy. Maybe not as often." he blushed

"Wow you love me more than food and banana milk. I'm honored. Oh did I tell you that I signed a contract with Binggrae to be the new ambassador for their banana milk? "

"Are you kidding me? That's so great, their banana milk are my favorite!"

"I know, why do you think I signed it right away? I love them too. We'll be the bunny/banana milk couple" They burst out laughing.

" I'm tired, let's go to bed" Ji Eun got up from the couch and offered him her hand to get up. He caught her delicate fingers and brought her abruptly to his chest. And they got lost in their kiss.

" My Kookie is a horny bunny"

" Is that so?"

" Yeah but you know what: I am a horny bunny too. Forget what I said, I'm not tired anymore." She whispered while she pampered kisses across his neck.

" Jagiya, don't leave love bites. It will be hard to cover it with make up."

" Let's move to your bedroom. I don't wanna be banned from your dorms by the others if we have sex on their couch." She giggled

**🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵🏵**

"Yeoboseyo?"

" Good morning, it's Kim Sejin. Hanteo-ssi, I'm sorry to bother you on Saturday but we received disturbing letters and threats regarding Jungkook and IU-ssi. I thought it would be best to warn you."

" Is it a prank or is it more serious?"

" Big Hit received one suspicious letter this morning. We usually don't open fan letters but the postman said it smelled odd so we opened it. It's a letter written with blood, I don't know if it's animal or human blood, but it says: **If I can't have you then no one can. Tell your girlfriend to watch her back. Jungkook-ah stop being a joke, I'll make you suffer as much I suffer right now**."

" Aish, that's really twisted. Can you trace who send it?"

" No but we found the same enveloppe with 2 other letters in the pile of mail we received last week. It's various threats and questions about the dating rumours. The writing is different in the letters but it's the same black and silver enveloppe. "

" Wait, black and silver enveloppe? Damn it, we received a similar enveloppe last week telling IU-ssi to stay away from Jungkook. I dismissed it as another empty threat from a crazy fan."

" I would have not called you too but this one is really creepy. The person attached a stolen photo of IU-ssi and Jungkook leaving our agency after a meeting. I've never seen that photo before so this means they are stalking us. In the back of the photo, it's written: **when WE'll be done with both of you, we'll end our lives to escape from the pain and the shame.** "

" Aish, we need to report it to the police. I'lł send a photo of the enveloppe and letter monday when I go back to work. Please call me monday so we could file a joint complaint and demand an investigation." Hanteo said

" Yes of course. I'll notify our legal team. Do you think we should tell Jungkook and IU-ssi?"

" I don't want them to be worried and stressed but keeping them in the dark won't help either. Maybe we should tell them to be extra careful because they are threats without going into the disturbing details. Reassure them that we're handling it. I'll assign two bodyguards to constantly accompany her, even at home. The photographs are also going wild so better be safe."

" Yeah I'll post an extra security team around the boys. Jungkook and IU-ssi are currently at the dorms so they are safe there. I'll just tell the Hannam Hill security guards to be more vigilant. I'll talk to Jungkook monday, let's give them a break this weekend."

" Yes, thank you for calling Sejin-ssi. I'll keep you updated too. I hope this issue will settle quickly."

" Me too. Thank you, have a nice day." Sejin hang up and Hanteo sighed.

Being a manager to a top star was not an easy job.


	24. Fake love

💜💜💜💜💜  
 **For you, I could pretend like I was happy when I was sad**  
 **For you, I could pretend like I was strong when I was hurt**  
 **I wish love was perfect as love itself**  
 **I wish all my weaknesses could be hidden**  
 **I grew a flower that can't be bloomed in a dream that can't come** **true**  
💜💜💜💜💜💜

"Hello sunshine"  
Jungkook blinked and tried to adjust his eyesight to the blinding lights coming from the double window.

He smiled when his vision became less blurry and recognized Ji Eun's angelic face looking down at him. Her hair fell over her face and she kissed him when she realized he was finally awake.

" Hi" he groggily replied after the kiss.  
" What time is it?"

" It's 10 am and I made breakfast" she proudly announced

" Why do I feel like our role are reversed? You usually wake up after me" he yawned

" That's because I wanted to do a morning yoga session and woke up at 8 am. It's 10 am, that's still a decent hour to wake up. My brother can sleep until 2pm sometimes if he spend the night playing games or partying with his friends."

The staying up all night to play on the computer was more Jin hyung's thing but Jungkook had to admit that sometimes on days off, he would stay awake until 3 or 4 am too.

Ji Eun cuddled closer to him and his arm instinctively wrapped around her petite body.

" Hanteo oppa texted me to be extra careful and not go out until Ji Hwan oppa, my second manager, comes tomorrow. "

" Oh, did he say anything else?" he asked with a trace of nervosity.

" Apparently, journalists and fans are waiting all day and night outside of Hannam Hill's gates. So Ji Hwan oppa will come tomorrow with his sister's cleaning company van. He will sneak me out of Hannam Hill in it. No one will know I was here with you."

" Do you think people will be fooled?" The whole thing sounded comical.

" Of course, it's an idea worthy of a spy movie scenario. Everyone will be disguised and I will stay hidden in the back of the van." They laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

" I also looked at some of the articles online and posts on instagram and twitter. We're number one topic in 40 countries, it's insane. A few Uaenas were upset, I think it's the _biscuits_ , you know the samchoon (uncle) fans. They are a bit crushed that I'm dating a younger man. The majority of your fans seem to support us. They made funny memes and edits, you should see some of them."

He was worried yesterday that she checked what people said on the internet. They avoided to do it until now.

" I read only the ones on #WeAreHappyForYouJK and the comments on Naver are not that bad. Nothing compared to what I faced before. My fans are generally a bit older than yours so they think dating at our age is normal, this news will pass quickly. I hope so. Now look at those edits, I saved the funniest. "

They were indeed hilarious, most of them made fun of him like Jungkook's was in need of CPR when IU said she would date him. Or the one where they used a bunny animation to show his fanboy behavior. Some were about what kind of boyfriend he was and a few fans made cartoons or cute drawing of their couple. He loved the most the edits comparing their similar facial expressions or outfits.

She was scrolling the photos online to get the Jang Man Wol and Jungkook meme she wanted to show to him. She froze then flinched for a few seconds before putting her phone down.

" I...I can't find it. Well I have to do my skincare routine. Almost forgot it." She dismissed it and got up from the bed so quickly that he knew something was wrong.

" Jieun-ah, what did you see?" He quietly asked but he could hear his voice falter

" Nothing" she replied. She was staring emotionlessly at his mirror and started cleaning her face with his products.

" We agreed to not lie to each other." He started to get angry because she was hiding something. He did not want to snatch that phone from her hands but the temptation was present.

" Please, you can tell me"

" You won't like it. I can bear it. It's nothing. Those things can't touch me." She replied with an icy tone.

" We know that's a lie. I saw your expression when you came upon it. If you ever read bad things, you shouldn't pretend that it's okay for people to say those things. What was it?"

" Fine, look at it, but don't say I didn't warn you." She threw the phone in his hands and rummaged through his drawers to find a paper and a pen. She angrily wrote on the paper muttering something about " who's the real greedy slut".***

He looked at what made her upset. It was an instagram fanpage called @antiiu that showed a deformed picture of Ji Eun with a red cross on it: " **_IU is such a greedy slut and an attention seeker, see how she almost ruined Eunhyuk's career, now her target is Jungkook, we'll burn that witch to ashes_** ". There were a dozen of nasty comments that kept insulting her in korean, english and some comments in languages he didn't know. Several accounts name were related to BTS.

This was exactly what he feared. Since they began dating, he has been afraid she would get hurt or upset by malicious comments. Jungkook sighed and got up of the bed to join her.

" Jieun-ah"

" Don't look at me with pity and don't apologize. You did nothing wrong so it would hurt my feelings even more if you apologize. Not everyone can love me or you, so I won't let those petty comments affect me more than it should."

" I'm gonna report it to the person in our agency that takes legal action against malicious comments."

She just nodded and started brushing her hair in silence in front of his mirror. He was clueless about what to do and say to her so he just stood there behind her.

" Do you want me to braid your hair?" He finally said when the silence was too heavy.

" You know how to do that?" She turned to him

" My grandma taught me when I was young. It's been a while since I did it but I think I can remember."

So he took the brush from her hand and delicately combed her hair. Then, he divided her hair in different sections, grabbed the strands of hair and started braiding them. He wished he could take her pain away and protect her at all cost but it was such a difficult task. The only thing he could do was to love her fiercely and shower her with attention.

He was almost finished when he saw her shoulders shake and heard her sniffle.

" Hey, what's wrong? Did I pull too much on your hair?" He worried

" No, the feeling of your fingers combing through my hair is so soothing. Why do I feel so vulnerable? I never cry in front of people and I shouldn't be mad about those stupid comments."

" It's okay to break down, you don't have to always be strong. And Jieun-ah, I'm not most people, I'm your boyfriend. I won't think less of you or consider you weak if you feel the need to cry or if you're upset by something."

" What did I do to deserve someone like you?" She cried even harder

" You saved the country in another life?" He tried to joke but she was still crying. He took her in his arms, wiped her tears with his shirtsleeves and kissed her forehead.

" Gwenchana, we got each other now. We're a team, you and me against the haters.

He released her and squeezed her face in his hands.

" Care to show me the breakfast you prepared?" She pretended to be annoyed by the squishing but then she smiled and he smiled back in victory.

💜💜💜💜💜💜

Ji Eun eventually calmed down and he gave her some of his clothes to wear at home. He tried not to think about how weird but also arousing it was to see her wearing his boxer as a short.

They ate her gaeran toast-u (egg toasts), orange juice, rice, tofu, kimchi and vegetable omelets. It was delicious and he was so hungry!

" And the award to the best girlfriend when she is not annoyingly making fun of me goes to Lee Ji Eun. Congratulations !!! Do you want to say a few words?" He gave her the bottle of water and she used it as a mic.

" Thank you, I received many awards in my life but this is the first one in this category. So I would like to thank my number one fan Jeon Jungkook for his 1 million votes to get me this award. Thank you Kookie for your support. I'm going to keep annoying you for the rest of your life so be prepared. I love you too. "

Despite everything, he has never felt so happy in his life.

💜💜💜💜💜💜

He did the dishes while she was showering. She said she would call her grandmother when it was his turn to shower. She was still on the phone when he came back.

" _**Don't worry, I'm eating well. Does your knee still hurt you? What did the doctor say?**_ " He heard and he opened his tablet to work on a drawing while she continued her call in the living room.

" _**I'm sorry I can't come at uncle's retirement party, I'll make sure to send a gift. But I promise I'll be at Sarang's first birthday ceremony next week."**_

" _**Yeah I'll see you there. Oh halmeoni, are you free on the first weekend in july? I would like to propose a barbecue with appa, eomma, Jong Hoonie, my boyfriend Jungkook and his parents. You**_ _ **know Jeon Jungkook, my boyfriend, remember I told you about him.**_ _ **"**_

Something beeped in the kitchen and he realized she cooked something in the oven. He looked at the melted marshmallows and turned to Jieun who was still on the phone.

" Jieun-ah!" He whispered " Pssst" she turned to him

" Ottoke?" He mouthed, pointing at the dessert she made. She made a face when she saw it was a bit burnt.

" _**Great, I'll tell eomma and appa. I'm sorry halmeoni, I'll call you later, I put something in the oven and it burned. No I'm not home, I'm with Jungkook. What? Do you want to talk to him right now??"**_ Ji Eun looked at him in panic. Jungkook just shrugged, unsure about what to say.

" _**Halmeoni, why are you insisting? This is not the right time. You'll meet him anyway in two weeks. What are you talking about? No I'm not trying to hide him because he's ugly and mean. In fact you'll be so shocked at how handsome and nice he is."**_

" It's okay, give me the phone" he said calmly to her but inside he was panicking. How should he introduce himself? What if her grandma doesn't approve of him? He couldn't give the wrong impression to the woman who raised Ji Eun. He stood behind his girlfriend, ready to talk to her grandma when he heard.

" _**Jingni, call me back with the thing that show people's face. I want to see him. Wait a minute, I have to get Il-Su to make it work on my phone. I don't know how to do it on my own."**_

The call ended and Ji Eun groaned in frustration.

" Sorry, when she wants something, she doesn't stop until she gets it."

" That reminds me of someone" he chuckled and she laughed but still pinched him

" Wae? You're stubborn and strong-willed just like her. That was a compliment. I won't lie: I'm nervous to talk to her but I'm also happy to finally meet her."

" Really?" He nodded to reassure her

Her grandma called again this time with Kakao video call.

" Hi again halmeoni. Hi Il-Su oppa, thanks for helping her" 

" Good morning Ji Eun halmeoni, je ireumeun Jeon Jungkook imnida. It's nice to meet you." He politely bowed to the screen

" Omo omo, I'm very happy to see you young man. Jingni, put the camera closer, I want to look closely at his face. Il-Su ah, give me my glasses please. It's in the kitchen table."

" Halmeoni!!! I'll hang up this call if you want to keep embarrassing us like this"

" I'll go to Seoul and smack that insolent face of yours if you do that. I just wanna get a look at your boyfriend's face. Is that a crime?"

" It's okay, Jieun-ah" Jungkook tried to calm them down

" Oh you look familiar, I may have seen you on TV and in the streets adverstisements. You're part of that group that kids really like nowadays."

"It's Bangtan Sonyeondan, grandma" Jungkook heard Il-Su, Ji Eun's cousin say in the background. He appeared briefly on the screen to give the glasses so Jungkook greeted him.

" Oh yes, what a difficult name to remember, sorry kids. Guess I should listen to other singers than Na Hoona, Nam Jin, and you of course darling."

" Trot songs are the best !! " Jungkook cheered

" Look at how good-looking he is! What is your zodiac sign?" Ji Eun's grandma asked him

" I was born the year of the ox"

" What a blessing! You know the proverbs : soneun nongawi josangia (the ox year is the wealth of the family). People born on the ox have many positive qualities such as strength, loyalty, gratitude and diligence. Our Ji Eun is a rooster, birds are symbol of good news, hope and happiness. But they say roosters are also stubborn and have an imperious character. I hope you will balance each other. Ox and rooster are perfect match. "

" Halmeoni, that's not nice, I'm not bad tempered. Are you scaring him off?" Ji Eun pouted. Jungkook just laughed.

" Oh look at his smile, gyeopta ! Omo, with your doe eyes and Ji Eun's nose, I'm sure your kids will look very cute. Jeon Jungkook-ssi, halmeoni will give you a lot of good food so please take care of my little girl. She can be annoying sometimes but she has a good heart."

" Halmeoni, please" Ji Eun pleaded

" Thank you! I promise I'll do everything to keep her happy and in good health."

They said goodbye and ended the call. Ji Eun sighed in relief but for different reasons. Ok that went better than he expected. Her grandma was hilarious and so straightforward. He was not used to it as his paternal grandmother was more a shy and quite person. She has a beautiful voice, sometimes she would sing when she thought she was alone and he would listen, hidden behind the door.   
An idea popped in his mind.

" Do you want to do a karaoke?" He asked suddenly.

" Oh yeah! It's been a while since I did that"

" My studio is soundproof so we could do it there"

" Let's go." They gathered snacks and drinks and brought everything in the Golden Closet. Ji Eun fed him the chocolate-draped marshmallow that she made and he happily ate it.

" What do you want to sing?"

" So first song: If you by Big Bang" he suggested

" I love it but why are we singing a depressing song?" She inquiered

" It's to warm up our voices. What about Eyes, Nose, lips? We'll do your crush's song"

" Aigo, do I smell jealousy coming from you? Taeyang sunbaenim was my ideal type a decade ago. "

" Hmph why would I be jealous? He's a married man now. I just wanted to tease you." She stuck her tongue at him and took the mic.

" I'm ready to be as dramatic as possible." He said

" Oh yeah me too, it's been a while since I sang this one"

" Wait, I'm gonna film this and make a funny video edit." He installed his gopro and started recording their karaoke session.

  
" It's my turn now to choose, let's sing Some" Ji Eun suggested

" Some by Bolbaggan4 or Some by Soyou & Junggigo?"

" Both!!! Pleeeeeease"

In the end, they added two more songs: Rainism by Rain and Gummy's Remember me from the Hotel del Luna OST.  
They had so much fun singing their hearts out, cracking their voices at some part and playing fools.

" I don't have a voice anymore" she complained breathless and sat on his chair. He put some music and started to dance to it. He still had so much energy.

" I love how you dance in Fake love, your glare pierces the camera when you stare intensely at it. I was speechless the first time I saw you lift your shirt to show your abs. I always get goosebumps when I see you performing on stage."

So he performed that part for her eyes only.

He recognized the look on her face, the way she stared at his lips and bit hers. She was about to kiss him so he hurried to switch off the camera. Because he shifted his position, her lips missed their target and her head smacked with his shoulder.

" Ouch" she yelled. She looked furious, her hand was massaging her temple.

" Fuck, are you okay? I'm sorry, I had to make sure the camera was off."

" It hurts" she pouted and he tried so hard to contain his smile because she looked adorable.

" Mianhe! Jagiya let me kiss the pain away" he placed two kisses on her forehead

" It hurts here too" she pointed at her lips

" Really? I think this one deserve a better treatment"

He captured her mouth in one bruising kiss that left them breathless.

Desire was threatening to burn him down so he listened to his most primal instinct and succumbed to it.

💜💜💜💜💜

 **Love you so bad, love you so bad**  
 **Mold** **a pretty lie for you**  
 **Love it's so mad, love it's so mad**  
 **Try to erase myself and make me your** **doll**

💜💜💜💜💜  
  
  
  
  
  
  


*** a little nod to Jea's song Greedy, written by IU


	25. My old story

Ji Eun woke up after another nightmare. Her room was still pitch dark, and not for the first time this week, she dreaded the silence and the darkness surrounding her. She looked up at her phone in her nightstand, it was 4 am.

Ever since Hanteo told her they had received death threats, her mind found little rest. The cramps in her stomach were getting more intense. This is also something new during her periods. Every night she struggled to find sleep and when she finally did, she had nightmares.

An irrational part of her thought her subconscious was trying to tell her things. But what exactly? The nightmares didn't make sense and she forgot most of the details after waking up. She just remembered that something or someone was pursuing her, like a witch hunt in her dreams, so she ran and hid as much as she could until she stumbled upon a corpse that was Jungkook. Just thinking about it made her shiver with fear.

She tried to reason herself: Sejin and Hanteo were taking care of it and she trusted them. Nothing bad would happen. She needed something to distract her mind so she opened her youtube app and watched video of people playing with slime. She eventually fell asleep one hour later.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

" **_Hey_** ** _, are you_** ** _ready_** ** _? I'm coming to_** ** _pick_** ** _you_** ** _up_** ** _!"_**

She accelerated her skincare routine and make up after reading Jungkook's text. She hoped her exhaustion was not too visible on her face. She couldn't look like a zombie for her first meeting with Jungkook's parents and her family would be concerned if they knew she had insomnia again.

Yoo Inna helped her last night to choose an outfit: a flowery blue dress that was a bit conservative but still highlighted her best features. First impressions were important. Not that she would think his parents will ever disapprove of her.

Jungkook called 20 mn later to say he was in the parking. She was not ready yet so she told him to come upstair and gave him the access to her apartment.

His face lit up when he saw her, it's been two weeks since their last encounter and she missed him too.

" Hi " she invited him in, closed the door and immediately kissed him

" Someone is happy to see her boyfriend" he chuckled " I missed you too"

" I'm almost ready, I just need to brush my hair and get all the gifts. Eomma and appa are taking care of the food."

"My gifts are in the car. Your place is so cool. We've been dating for months but this is the first time I'm seeing your apartment." He pointed out

" Ahh you're right, I forgot you've never been here before. I'll give you a tour of my home then." She showed him around and he took a closer look at all the drawings and teddy bears in her bedroom while she finished her hairstyle. Jungkook smiled when he saw the drawing he made for her birthday placed on her nightstand.

" See, even when we're not physically together, you're still close to me at night."

He just smiled and kissed her again.

" I'm ready! Come on, I heard there will be traffic today."

Two bodyguards escorted them from her apartment to the parking and one of them took the wheel. This was part of the new security reinforcement taken by Big Hit and Edam since their dating announcement. They were forbidden to go anywhere alone. She couldn't take a taxi on her own for example but had to wait for her staff. They put two additional security cameras in her lobby and reduced the access to her floor building. Jungkook couldn't drive anymore because a car or a moto would occasionally chase them and it made him anxious.

Negotiations with Dispatch were made by their agencies, so the situation has been less anxiety inducing this week when the majority of the paparazzi gave up following all their movements.

They discussed about work during the car trip until she noticed his long-sleeved shirt.

" Summer heat just began, won't you be uncomfortable with your long-sleeved shirt? Unlike mine, that jean fabric looks heavy."

Jungkook blushed at her comment.

" I didn't know how your family would react upon seeing my tattoos so I thought it would be better to cover them. Though, I can't hide the ones on my right hand."

" Don't worry ! Appa will think it's cool, he's all rock and roll you know, eomma won't mind too. Halmeoni might scowl but she'll get over it."

He still looked nervous so she took his hands and asked question about BTS 7th anniversary concert that they diffused live all around the world. The whole concept fascinated her and she found it really innovative.

They arrived in her parents home in Yangpyeong-gun 30 minutes later. She bought this 2 story house near the lake two years ago. The region was known for its agreeable environment. She also purchased the land surrounding the property to get more privacy.

Their bodyguards immediately scouted the area for any signs of threats.

Her father was the first to greet them.

" Hello appa, I'm so happy to see you" she smiled " Aren't you going to say it too?"

" What ? That I missed you, who would miss you?" He joked

" Well we're going to back to Seoul if you're not pleased to see us" she said and Jungkook looked at her a bit confused. Her father laughed and looked at Jungkook who seemed to realize he didn't say anything yet.

" Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Jeon Jungkook. It's a pleasure to meet you sir. "

" Hello Jeon Jungkook-ssi, I'm glad to finally meet you.

" Noona told me a lot about you. This is only our first meeting as your daughter's boyfriend. But I hope we'll see each other often. Jalbutag deurimnida (please let's have a good relationship)." Jungkook bowed at 45 degrees, her father bowed back and smiled.

" From what I heard, you're a good kid. For now, you can call me Lee Jin Wook-ssi. Maybe after two or three beers, you can call me abonim (father in law)."

" Thanks sir, I mean Lee Jin Wook-ssi."

" Why are you two dressed like you're going to church? This is a family barbecue. Are we supposed to dress nicely? Nobody told me. I just put on a t-shirt. And you're in matching color!! Is it a thing young couple do nowadays? " her father pointed out.

Ji Eun looked at Jungkook who was equally flustered. They were indeed both in blue and a little too chic and uptight for a casual family outing. But this was their first meeting so none of them wanted to look bad.

" Lee Jin Wook-ssi, you look totally fine. I'm the one who is overdressed. My apologies."

" Relax son, I was just concerned that your nice clothes will get dirty during the barbecue. That shirt looks expensive. And you can drop the formal language with me, that won't be necessary. Make yourself at home." Her father pat Jungkook's shoulder and made his way into the house.

" Yeobo, Ji Eunie and Jungkook-ssi are here!"

She deposited the bags in the living room and ran to her mother and grandmother who came out of the kitchen.

" Eomma, halmeoni" she hugged them tightly

" I saw you last week but it still feels like it's been a while" her mother said

" Jungkook will have to go back to Seoul tonight but I'm staying for the weekend."

Jungkook came closer, shifting his nervous hands behind his back and greeted politely her mom and grandma.

" My poor boy, that telephone didn't do you justice, you look more handsome in real life. Come here so halmeoni can hug you." She laughed at her grandma's antics. Jungkook awkwardly hugged her.

He gave her grandma a big bouquet of flowers and her mother asked him if he wanted a drink which he accepted.

" Jieun-ah could you please wake up your brother?"

" Can't believe that little punk is still asleep!! " She muttered and went upstairs to his room, leaving Jungkook with her parents. She didn't bother to knock and jumped on his bed.

" Jong Hoonie, get your lazy ass up!! Come on, it's 11 am. "

" Hi noona" he grunted, turned his head to bury it in a pillow

" How could you be asleep so late on the day we're meeting Jungkook's parents? And why are you letting eomma, appa, halmeoni do all the work?"

" It's the jetlag, my body is still not used to korean time. There are 16 hours of difference between Seoul and L.A"

" Please, just make an effort today. You can sleep as much as you want on other days. "

" Yeah, yeah, I'm up. I'll be downstairs in 20mn. Need to wash up first."

" Ppalli, ppalli" she said when he disappeared in the bathroom

Jungkook was helping her father set the table when she came back.

" Jong Hoon is awake. He'll come down shortly"

" Great! Jieun-ah, look at what Jungkook-ssi gifted me. It's two vip tickets for a Doosan bears versus Kia Tigers game. I could even meet some of the players after the game. I'll bring my Doosan bears jersey and balls for autographs."

" That's cool !" She didn't watch baseball at all but her father's excitement meant it was a precious gift.

" I have something for your mother too." Jungkook went to the kitchen to give her mother a pair of Dolce Gabbana sneakers. 

" Thank you, you're a sweetheart! I love it. You shouldn't have bothered with gifts for your in laws, you're already doing enough by keeping our baby girl happy." Her mother said to him. He blushed and rubbed his neck.

" I know I may sound demanding and rude when I talk about great-grandchildren. I realized the years are passing by quickly and I just want to live long enough to see Ji Eunie have her own children. Be there to guide her because motherhood is not an easy experience and she might need us the most. She needs to be surrounded by people she can trust and who will love and support her in all circumstances."

Ji Eun teared up at her grandma's words. A world without her would be devastating. Her grandma raised her and taught her the most valuable life lessons when she was young. Her parents were working hard to pay off their debts and she endured a lot of hardship with her grandma, her brother and cousin in that small studio for a year.

She was the one who encouraged her to pursue her dreams. She remembered crying for days when they realized they were scammed by fake entertainment agencies. Her grandma and parents worked hard to save that money. Ji Eun felt so stupid and guilty for believing their lies. She wanted to drop everything. She remembered word for word what her grandma said at that time: " Money is only a piece of paper with some value written on it. The only thing that makes me angry and sad is that they broke your heart and your spirit. I know what kind of person you are Jingni. I _could_ _never be_ _disappointed_ _in you. And_ _even_ _if you did, my love for you will overpower every negative feelings. One day, when you'll have children, you'll understand better what unconditional love is."_

She was the first one to console her everytime she failed an audition, the first one to scold her and put her back in her place when fame threatens to get into her head.

She expected Jungkook to get scared again by this conversation. Instead he gave them a bright smile and a confident nod.

" Don't worry halmeoni, I promise I'll do right by her."

" I know you will" her grandma smiled back

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

" Hello everyone" Jong Hoon said, fully dressed but still yawning. He noticed Jungkook's presence and bowed to him.

" Hi, I'm Lee Jong Hoon, Ji Eun's one and only brother. I can't believe noona is dating a member of the coolest group in Korea. I don't listen much to kpop but I heard you're friends with Post Malone, Steve Aoki, James Corden, Ed Sheeran and Ariana Grande. And noona bragged a lot about your videogames skills. Do you want to be in my team for a League of Legends session? "

" Nice to meet you. Hmm yeah, I would love that!" Jungkook replied

" Cool, I can' wait to kick some ass !!"

"Language Lee Jong Hoon. And not now boys, maybe after lunch" her mom reminded them

"Jong Hoonie, help me with the salads. Jienun-ah, Jungkook-ssi, could you please take all the meats outside? Your father is ready to grill."

They executed the task and stayed outside for a few minutes to enjoy the sun and the lake's view.

" Are you okay? " she asked

"Yeah, I was nervous but now I feel fine, like why was I worried in the first place? Your family is very welcoming and I think we'll get along well."

Ji Eun felt relieved hearing his words even if she knew things would go smoothly with her family.

Jungkook's parents arrived right on time at noon with two cakes and drinks.

"Annyeonghaseyo, cheoneun Lee Ji Eunieyo" she bowed and they greeted her back, a bit flustered for reasons she didn't understand. Ji Eun started to get nervous seeing their uneasiness.

" You look prettier in real life, it's surreal that we're meeting Jungkook's girlfriend and she's IU. You were his favorite subject of conversation when he was teenager. " his father said.

Ji Eun was sure her face was bright red. Jungkook just looked like he wanted to be swallowed by the ground and disappear.

" Yeobo! What he meant was: we're extremely happy to finally meet you." His mother tried to make up, clearly embarrassed by her husband.

Ji Eun was taken aback by how charming and handsome Jungkook's father was. It might be connected to his Busan satoori too or they way father and son had the same smile.

His mother could also have been mistaken as his older sister. She wished she would look like that at her age. Her own mother would be vexed upon hearing that, so she kept the comment to herself.

When the greetings were done, she gave her in laws (if you could call them that) the gifts she prepared.

"Omo, thank you so much. I feel ashamed, we didn't get you anything. "

"Don't worry eomma, noona and I agreed to give gifts to all of you. Her family already got theirs."

His mother opened the box and cheered (before apologizing) when she saw the Gucci bag.

"It's so pretty, thank you Ji Eun-ssi"

His father tried his new Gucci watch and thanked her profusely.

  
"Noona are you trying to buy your in-laws? " whispered Jong Hoon

"Shut up and smile. Didn't you receive something from Jungkook too? "

" Oh yeah, I got a pair of the limited edition of Air Jordan Dior. That thing ain't even yet sold in the market. Travis Scott and Justin Timberlake got the same. It costs 2 millions won. Noona, please marry that guy, he's so cool and give awesome gifts. And we're the same age! He's my new favorite family member now !"

" Look who's the one easily bribed. If that's it, then I should cut off your allowance. Go on, you should ask your new favorite family member money to cover all your living expenses from now." She bluffed

" Anyo, noona, he's my new favorite but you're my all time favorite! No one compares to you"

"Whatever" she rolled her eyes

"Noona , saranghaeyo. I missed you a lot too when I was in Los Angeles. " Jong Hoon hugged her. That little punk will never grow up. 5 years abroad didn't change that.

"Everything is ready, please come this way" her mother invited everyone to the grand table in the garden. She took a seat next to Jungkook and her grandmother and they started to eat.

Her father, who was by nature very talkative, made conversations with Jungkook's parents. And her mother would sometimes jump on the conversation. Jungkook and Jong Hoon talked about the Grammys and american talk shows. She listened to her grandma's story about her last trip to Jeju-do with her cousin Il-Su, his wife and baby Sarang after her first birthday.

She went to the kitchen to get clean plates. Jungkook was still hungry so he grilled more Korean beef with her father's help. Her heart soared with joy seeing him blend so easily with her family.

" I hope you will always look at him with that same loving eyes" she was caught off guard by Jungkook's mother who entered the kitchen. Ji Eun blushed and nodded.

" He's been in a good spirit lately."

"Yes, despite all the chaos this last two weeks. He's fairing better than I would have thought. Though I'm still concerned." Ji Eun added. His mother deposited the plates in the sink and started cleaning them.

"Jungkook eomma, please let me do the dishes, you are our guest."

"Don't worry, I don't mind. In fact, I think I need a distraction. "

"Something's bothering you? " she asked, with apprehension in her voice. The look on Jungkook's mother face was not a good sign.

"There's actually something that's been on my mind lately. Maybe it's something that every parents need to come to term with. Maybe it's just me being very pensive and nostalgic the last few weeks. "

"Whatever it is, we can talk about it if you want to. I'll try to understand" Ji Eun gently smiled

" I thought a lot about how my children grew up so fast. My boys are now adults with stable incomes, good health and they both are in a serious relationship. I wasn't really shocked when he told me about you two. Ji Eun-ssi, you know Jungkook's been secretly in love with you for so many years. I remember, one time he saved his pocket money to buy your album and listened to it for days. I still recall helping him practice your song _Lost child_ for his audition. It was hard to let him go to Seoul with so little insurance that he'll be fine. He was only 14. I was torn between letting my baby live far away from us and giving him the opportunity to pursue his dreams. "

Her hands fidgeted and Ji Eun just stood there, watching her, feeling distraught.

" I didn't sleep well for two years, wondering if he slept and ate well, who was taking care of him when he was sick. He came home from time to time and we cherished all those small moments of joy. As his mom, it hurts to know that I couldn't be there when he needed me and the responsibility to look after him fell to 6 other young boys and unfamiliar managers. He spent 14 full years with us in Busan, 10 years with Bangtan Sonyeondan in Seoul and I hope he will spend the rest of his life with you. He grew up fine, without us, and I know he'll treat you right and love you unconditionally. You're his first and last love. I don't think my son will be capable of loving someone else. So that's why I'm telling you this: Ji Eun-ssi, please take good care of my son. I'm not asking you to mother him. No, he's a grown man now but I just need to know that he has someone who can support him, love him and care for him."

"Jungkook eomma..." tears were threatening to fall from Ji Eun's eyes

"Children don't tell their parents anymore about what's bothering them. I guess they don't want to worry us. He doesn't open up to me like he used to but I know when something's wrong. I don't need to know what it is. My mind will rest as long as I know he can at least talk about it with someone. Thank you for listening to him when he needs to. Thank you for loving him back. I'm glad you finally found each other. He's been waiting for this for a long time." his mother quietly said while cleaning the dishes and giving them to Ji Eun to dry.

"I love your son more than anything and like we told each other: we're a team now. We grow and learn together, we support each other and learn from our mistakes. Thank you for raising him and for letting him go 10 years ago despite your fears. I don't think our paths would have crossed without that."

His mother cried a little and Ji Eun panicked. What should she do? She grabbed a tissue, offered it and awkwardly pat her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to get all emotional. This is a bit embarrassing."

"Gwenchanayo, I'm trying not to cry too. Your blessing and your support mean a lot to me. "

"I've always wanted to have at least one daughter and now I got two beautiful and kind daughters in law. These are tears of happiness! " she chuckled and Ji Eun hugged her, incredibly touched by her words.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Things went smoothly after the dessert: the men decided to fish in the lake and her grandma wanted to play baduk (Go) with the women.

Jungkook and Jong Hoon came back one hour later because fishing was a bit boring and they wanted to play at League of Legends online. When the baduk games were over and everyone came back (including the bodyguards), her grandma insisted to show her baby pictures to Jungkook's family.

"This is exactly the reason I don't bring my girlfriends home. Halmeoni is always so extra. Love her for that though." Her brother said

" Look at her cute little nose, I remember we went to the zoo, she lost her hat that day and cried for hours. And oh this one was taken at her sixth birthday party. Jingni looked so pretty in the white dress. All the little girls and mothers from the neighborhood were jealous."

Of course Jungkook was more than happy to coo at all the pictures and laugh at the embarrassing stories.

"Jong Hoonie followed his noona everywhere, like a lost puppy. "

"Halmeoni, that's not true!" Jong Hoon cried

Her father plugged the karaoke machine and everyone sang and danced. They cheered when her bodyguard Mr Park showcased his dancing skills. Jong Hoon sounded like a dying whale when he sang but he continued anyway to make everyone laugh.

She sang _My old story_ with Jungkook's father. He was actually a decent singer and he was good at exagerating the melancholy. Her boyfriend definitely inherited his sense of drama from his father.

Time seemed to fly when you had fun. They all watched as the sun turned orange and the lights faded slowly over the lake.

Her father put on jazz records and she heard Ella Fitzgerald's and Nina Simone's songs. The next song was _Lovin' you_ by Minnie Ripperton.

" My lady, can I have this dance?" Jungkook offered his right hand, eyes full of mirth. She gave him her most genuine smile, took it and they swayed in front of the now pitch-black lake, dancing with no shadows.

🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵

**No one else can make me feel**   
**The colors that you bring**   
**Stay with me while we grow old**   
**And we will live each day in springtime**   
**'Cause lovin' you has made my life so beautiful**   
**And every day of my life is filled with lovin' you**

🎵🎵🎵🎵🎵


	26. Stay gold

Jungkook just finished a meeting with Big Hit producers and the group members about the production of the japanese version of Map of the soul, with the addition of 3 news songs. He was proud to be involved in the creation of 2 songs out of 3.

While the others went to take a lunch in the agency's cafeteria, Sejin and Bang Pd nim asked him to stay for another quick meeting.

Two people entered the conference room and he recognized the two managers from the Public Relationship department. They put Ji Eun and her managers on the speakers so they could also attend the meeting. The PR manager explained the terms of negotiation with Dispatch and what was expected from the "exclusive scoop" that will be given to them in exchange of peace and freedom.

" So we thought about a casual date in popular spots: not a fancy restaurant but something more simple, for example in Samcheongdong. Then maybe a walk in the Han River late at night or near Cheonggyeonchon stream. Dispatch will mobilize 3 photographers. Two bodyguards will discreetly follow you to assure your safety." The PR manager explained

" From what I understand, all we have to do is to go on a date, act normally and they will take photos of us." Jungkook confirmed

It seemed simple and a reasonable sacrifice for months of peace from the paparazzis. However it still didn't sit right with him to negotiate for basic rights like privacy.

" Just enjoy your date, be natural. You can be lovey-dovey but please no kiss in public."

" And then what happens after that?" Ji Eun asked on the phone

" They will leave you alone for at least a year once they got their photos. The photos will be published two or three days later. Mid-august is a good period because most people will be distracted by their holidays so they won't care that much about you two. We're expecting a positive response from the public. You can relax from now on."

" Edam Entertainment also published a statement about the legal actions we took against online bullying and malicious comments. Several people were fined and the police took down the sites and profiles that kept spreading false rumors." He heard Hanteo say

" What about the death threats?" Jungkook looked at Sejin

" The police's investigation is progressing. They had one suspect, a 41 years old computer engineer, living in Seoul. He ran an IU fancafe that shut down after the dating announcement. They were proofs that he sent the enveloppes to Edam Entertainment and took the photos so he was arrested. But they believe he's not working alone because the writing on the messages sent to Big Hit did not match . The police are investigating on BTS sasaeng's community. We still have to be careful. Jungkook-ssi, Ji Eun-ssi, please focus on your work and your well-being, we're handling the rest. Don't worry too much."

" Thank you hyung." Jungkook said to him, half reassured by the news. A part of him still couldn't understand some radical fan's need to turn their idol's life into a nightmare. If you love someone, how could do this to them?

The situation was stressful and his hyungs noticed that he became quieter this days. Ji Eun's life was in danger because of him. The guilt and the anger he felt mixed into a dangerous cocktail of pent-up emotions. Why can't he protect the one person who mattered the most to him? What did he always cause trouble for the people around him? That simple question was slowly consuming him.

👑👑👑👑👑

_**Stay gold,** _ _**I want to see you** _

_**Stay gold, f** _ _**or everyone** _   
_**Stay gold , m** _ _**y heart will be fascinated** _   
_**Stay gold,** _ _**I want to get it** _

👑👑👑👑👑

The day of the "staged-date", if you could call it like that, came quickly.   
Jungkook's schedule was cleared for the afternoon and the night so he came to Ji Eun's apartment at 1pm with crispy chicken and drinks. 

She welcomed him with a big smile and his heart fluttered. Everytime she smiled at him, he felt like the sun was shining back at him, and only him. Aigo, he'd been so cheesy lately. Another proof that he missed her.

They finished eating and snuggled on her couch to watch a korean comedy on Netflix called The Bros. And then they watched several episodes of MBC's "How do you play" where Lee Hyori, Rain and Yoo Jae Suk formed a group. Seeing their sunbaenim on screen was really funny. Lee Hyori was roasting everyone and Yoo Jae Suk was a clumsy trainee.

" Lee Hyori sunbaenim is so cool but also so scary. I think nobody wants to be on her bad side."

" Yeah I like how she's confident and straightforward. Hyori unnie asked for your phone number. She received your thank you gifts and said we can go back to their house anytime or go to a trip together with her husband."

The memories of their vacation in Incheon came back in his head: the relaxing atmosphere, the hottub, the laughters, cooking together, the beach, the physical connection. 

He hadn't seen Ji Eun for two weeks so it would be a lie to say that he didn't crave sex.

They decided to take a nap in her bedroom before going out for their date. A nap that turned into a slow lovemaking session. 

**👑👑👑👑👑**

**Your eyes are like diamonds, p** **rettier than any other gem**

**I am constantly fascinated and c** **an't take my eyes off you**

**👑👑👑👑👑**

The atmosphere in Samcheongdong was really nice with all the street lights from the traditional houses that were turned into shops, galleries and restaurants.

They went first to an art gallery for an exhibitions of modern African paintings. They ended up buying two small paintings: one in different shades of blue representing the ocean and the other one in golden tone to represent the Sahara desert. 

" It will be delivered at your home at the end of the exhibition. You should keep the golden one. I'll take the blue painting" he said, while they slowly walked in the street

"Why? You're the golden maknae and the blue reminds me of Blueming."

" I know but you're also Lee Ji Geum * so the golden one suits you too" 

" So now we're the bunny/golden couple" she laughed

He couldn't help looking from time to time to see where the photographers were hiding. He knew Mr Park (the bodyguard) and his fiancé (who he heard from Ji Eun was a taekwondo teacher) were discretely trailing them too. 

Despite the circumstances, Ji Eun and he looked like a normal couple enjoying their date together.

Sejin privatised a small restaurant located in an hanok. Jungkook loved how cozy and warm the place felt like. The 4 of them were the only customers so their bodyguards for the night chose a seat near the entrance to give him and Ji Eun a bit of privacy. 

" What are you doing nowadays?" he asked while devouring the delicious bulgogi and rice. 

" I'm working on new songs. I finished the lyrics of a song for Jea unnie from Brown Eyed Girls, it's called Greedy ! "

He was glad that she turned an upsetting event (being called a greedy slut by haters) into a song praising self- confidence.

" And I'm writing another song for my new album. It's about being 28. I want to call it Eight. I will contact Yoongi oppa very soon and ask him if he wants to produce and feature on my song."

He was distracted by the fact that she took a napkin and wiped the sauce from his mouth. He smiled, a bit embarrassed by his eating habits.

" Thanks noona. I'm sure Yoongi hyung will be happy to help you."

" What about you?"

" I had a vocal coaching session this morning with Kim Sung Eun sunbaenim. She was the one who helped us during our trainee days and she admires and respects you a lot. We worked on staccatos, crescendos and rifts. Big Hit is also preparing a drama inspired by our stories before our debut so we talked a bit about that this week. They are casting rookie actors. I'm eager to see who will play the one and only Jeon Jungkook. Anyway, I've been so busy between rehearsals, shootings, meetings. I'm glad that they let me have a half-day off. I was looking forward to spend time with you."

They quietly walked hand in hand toward his car and went to Cheonggyecheon stream. It was past midnight so the place was less crowded than usual. 

" You brought a skateboard? " Ji Eun looked startled by the object he pulled from the car's trunk.

"Yeah, my brother gave it to me for my 23rd birthday but I didn't have many opportunities to use it. Do you want to try? "

" I don't know, won't I ridiculise myself by falling every 2 minutes?"

" You'll never know until you try !! Come on, I'll hold your hands and catch you if you fall"

" Alright! I've always wanted to try skateboarding so here we go!" They both searched for a smooth road without bumps and cracks to avoid accidents. He spotted the bodyguards who looked a random couple on a date and saw one of the photographer behind the tree. 

" Let's go, put your left foot on the front of the board and gently push with your right foot" She did as he told and moved with short stabs.

"Ok, you can take longer push now and bring you right foot up on the board's fishtail" Ji Eun looked at him with panicked eyes.

"Gwenchana, you'll be more balanced once you take long pushes, trust me."

Ji Eun tried several times and he held her hands and caught her when she was about to fall. There were times when she shrieked or laughed so much that she ended up losing her balance.

When she grew tired, he took the skateboard and tried a few flips. After 4 failed attempts that made them both laugh, he successfully did a flip that landed right. Ji Eun cheered for him and he smiled at her enthusiasm.

They continued their walk along the stream.

" We still haven't decided which charities will receive the donation from our song" she reminded him

" Taehyungie talked about his family's struggle to find money when the harvest was not good. So I wanna help rural families."

" We could do that, I wanna help low income single parents. I imagine it must be difficult to raise a child on your own with little money."

" Giving scholarships so those children can go to universities might be a good idea too."

" Yes, I will ask Kang Hee Joo unnie, she's been managing all my donations for the past 10 years. She could propose several organisations to us and we'll see what we can do."

Giving back and helping other people always brought a sensation of fullfilment. He was happy that his work and privilegies could at least contribute to a good purpose.

" Tonight I'm thankful for many things and one of them is your presence in my life." he said to her. He didn't know why he always found it necessary to remind her the extent of his love. Sometimes he feared that she would get tired hearing it. 

" Ya Jeon Jungkook! Saranghae " she pointed heart fingers at him, which made them both laugh

He took Ji Eun's hand in his and they quietly walked under the moonlight.

  
**👑👑👑👑👑**

_**Peeking moonlight** _

_**Won't let sleep come tonight** _   
**_Hold my hand tight_ **   
**_I don't want to_ ** **_let go_ **   
**_Stay gold_ **

👑 **👑👑👑👑**


	27. 23/24

**1.09.20 - 00.00**

"Yeoboseyo? "

" Saengil chukahamnida, saengil chukahamnida, saranghaneun Jeon Jungkook-ssi, saengil chukahamnida! Happy birthday my love" Ji Eun cheered on the phone

" Thank you jagi"

" So how are you? How does it feel to be 24? Are you excited? Do you feel old now? 24 is still so young! I'm jealous"

" I'm really happy right now. You're the first person to wish me happy birthday so I'm grateful for that. I'm also a bit nervous because we're doing a surprise release of my mixtape today. 4 years of work will be finally out. "   
Ji Eun could feel the tension in his voice.

" Everything's gonna be alright, ok? I heard your songs, they are really good and I'm not saying that because I'm your girlfriend. If they sucked, I would have told you to work more on them. There's no way people won't love it."

" I hope so" he sighed

"Don't worry, everyone's been waiting for your mixtape. I'll hunt down the haters, nobody messes with Lee Ji Eun's boyfriend!" She joked. She was glad to hear his little laugh.

" So what are you going to do today?"

" I got a meeting for the mixtape's release, we have a shooting photo today for Bazaar Korea and then we're celebrating it at home with the boys. That's it! I really wish you were free today."

" I'm sorry baby, I will see what I can do but I have this commercial shooting until late night."

" It's okay" he said but she could hear the sadness in his voice.

She couldn't tell him they planned a surprise birthday party for him tonight. Her shooting will be done at 4 pm so she could have time to see the event planner and oversee the last arrangement for his party.

" I hope you'll have a good day. I will make sure to listen to your mixtape when it will be out at 1pm. I love you !"

🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

The staff bowed to her when she arrived at Paradise City Hotel in Incheon. She greeted them back. Taehyung suggested this place because he was friends with Andrew Oh, Paradise City's Chief of Strategic Planning. The place was nice, she came here two years ago for a friend's wedding.

" Is everything ready?" She asked the event planner. They were expecting around 50 people so they booked a smaller ballroom than those usually dedicated for big weddings.

" Yes madam "

Ji Eun entered the room and the event planner explained the decoration team's work. The theme was blue and gold : blue was Jungkook's favorite color and represented who he was backstage ; the gold symbolized his alter ego on stage. The plates and the cups were even stamped JK.

She loved the golden metal chandelier on the ceiling and the blue sofas. They installed a golden bar with various range of drinks. The caterer made her taste the appetizers and mini burgers.

"Please make sure people don't drink too much. We don't want to cause a scandal." Ji Eun told the barman who nodded.

She listened to the event planner who explained the security measures. A lof of celebrities were expected tonight so the security team was mobilized.

" I also have the list and phone numbers of all the managers and private drivers will make sure everyone will get home safely after the party at 2 am."

" Thank you. Everything is settled! The first guests will come around 8 pm and Jungkook-ssi will be here at 9 pm" she thanked everyone for their good work and went upstair to the room she rented for the night.

Yoo Inna came in her room one hour later and they got ready together. Thankfully, her bestfriend was really talented for all the make up and hair stuff.

Ji Eun chose a sultry red dress with a plunging neckline. She was certain it will make Jungkook's mouth water. She sensed that he might be quite possessive tonight seeing her float around the guests in that dress.

She was the first to arrive in order to welcome all the guests. She greeted staff members from Big Hit that the boys invited. She recognized Jungkook's stylists and make up artists. The bodyguards also came with the agency managers and the producers. Bang Si Hyuk will make an appearance tonight but said he couldn't stay long.

Park Seo Joon came with his girlfriend. All the members of GOT7 also came and Ji Eun greeted them. They were not really close but they crossed paths at award shows and TV shows. She remembered that Jackson was really nice to her.

"Hello IU sunbaenim! " She recognized one of Jungkook's bestfriends.

" Hi, you're Yugyeom-ssi right? Thanks for coming. I believe all the 97 liners will be here except Jaehyun-ssi. "

"Yeah, NCT 127 are not in Seoul right now. This place is awesome! I can't wait to see Jungkook hyung's reaction. " he said looking around.

More people came in: Cha Eun Woo from Astro, TXT (Big Hit's rookie group), Seventeen members: Mingyu, Minghao and Dogyeom.

She was so happy to see Yeo Jin Goo and they reminisced about their Hotel del Luna's days.

She greeted Jungkook's friends from the tattoo shop. It was a bit awkward at first to talk with Lee Mijoo, the girl who was involved in a dating scandal with Jungkook last year. The young woman looked uncomfortable around Ji Eun.

"IU-ssi, hmmm I...don't know if It's appropriate for me to say it now...but... I just wanted to say...that nothing happened between us. Jungkook and I are just good friends. Things blew out of proportion and it was a big misunderstanding. "

"Lee Mijoo-ssi, thank you for coming today. I heard you went throught a very unpleasant experience and I'm sorry you got those threats. Believe me, I know what it's like. I'm glad you could maintain your friendship with Jungkook-ssi. I would love to visit your tattoo shop one day. If Jungkook-ssi trusts you for all of his tattoos then I could definitely trust you for my first tattoo. "   
Ji Eun smiled at her, the blonde woman smiled back, visibly relieved that they were no ill feelings between them.

How could she be mad at her? Mijoo did nothing wrong and Ji Eun was relieved those false rumors didn't destroy their precious friendship. Jungkook needed the few friends he got.

Someone tapped on her shoulder and Ji Eun turned around. It was a young man that looked familiar.

" Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Jeon Jung Hyun, nice to meet you" he bowed

"Annyeonghaseyo, Jungkook-ssi talked a lot about his older brother. I'm happy you could come tonight. It's a pleasure to meet you too."

" Thank you IU-ssi. This is my girlfriend Kang Su-Hyeon" the woman stepped forward and they greeted each other.   
Ji Eun made small conversation with them, asking about their jobs and their lives in general.

" I got a room booked for you two tonight in Paradise City Hotel. I know you came a long way from Busan and the party will finish late so I made a reservation in case you needed to rest."

"Oh that's really nice, thank you. We initially planned to stay at a friend's place in Seoul and going back to Busan tomorrow night."

" Feel free to use the room. We'll probably stay here with Jungkook. Maybe the 4 of us could take breakfast together tomorrow. Sejin-ssi said Jungkook is free until noon and I took a day off. "

" Yes, we would love that" replied Kang Su-Hyeon

Her phone chirped and she looked at the new text from Jimin.

**_"_ ** **_Just_ ** **** **_arrived_ ** **_in the parking. We'll be there in 5 minutes"_ **

She took the mic to announce that Jungkook and BTS were coming and they needed to be ready to yell Suprise!

They turned off all the lights and the room fell silent. Yoo Inna giggled in excitement and Ji Eun shushed her.

She could hear the footsteps approaching. The main door opened and they all yelled as the lights went on.

" Surprise ! "

Jungkook jumped, then his deer eyes widened when he saw the room full of his friends.

" Happy birthday Jungkook! JK! JK!" People cheered

" Wow ! I can't believe this" he burst out in tears. Taehyung and Namjoon patted his shoulders.

" Omo, I hope they are tears of happiness. Happy birthday Kookie-ah!" She took his hands in hers, he sniffled in her shoulders

" Jagiya, I thought you were too busy. I was mad at myself for feeling hurt that we couldn't see each other today. I don't know if I should be mad at you for lying to me or if I should kiss you because this is my first suprise birthday party." He cried

She chose the easiest solution and kissed him.

Someone whistled and she turned around to see Bambam giving them thumbs up. They both blushed and she released Jungkook's hands so he could great everyone.

" Noona, give me a high five! This party looks even more amazing than in my imagination." She checked Taehyung's hand

" We told Jungkook this was the last location for the photoshoot. " Jin explained

" We almost got caught when he asked why the crew was not following us." Hobi added

" Thankfully Namjoon came up with an excuse saying another crew was already waiting here. That poor boy believes everything our leader says". Yoongi said

Namjoon muttered that he felt bad for lying to the maknae even if it was for a surprise.

The boys greeted everyone and the party officially started.

Yoo Inna was talking to Jungkook's family and Yeo Jin Goo. There was a huge group on the corner formed by Big Hit's staff and artists.

Taehyung was happily chatting with Park Seo Joon and his girlfriend. The 97 liners hang out with the BTS members. She saw that the tattoo artists crew was a bit left out so she discussed with them.

" Do you have ideas for your tattoo?" Asked Mijoo

" It's a bit cliché but I wanted to have a little infinity sign on my right shoulder. And maybe a peach and a clock for Sulli and Jonghyun. I need it to be discreet."

The three tattooists explained her the process and gave her advices. Jungkook joined them for a drink and exposed his next project: an eye tattooed on his arm, next to the tiger flower. They went into the details and he made an appointement to get it done.

She excused herself when she saw a text from Kwon Jiyong.

" I'm sorry, I just have to check something then I'll be back."

" See ya later baby"

Ji Eun went backstage and spotted Jiyong discussing with the DJ.

"Ji Yong oppa! I'm really happy to see you. Thanks for saying yes to my invitation and for this surprise performance. I'll send you two fridges full of soju, be a guest at your next concert. Just say what I can do to return the favor !"

Jiyong shily laughed. She will never stop being amazed by the opposition of Jiyong's real shy personality and Gdragon's charismatic persona. For her they were two different individuals.

" It's okay, this is my first performance since my enlistment so I'm glad to be back on a stage. And I really wanted to meet BTS informally so here I am."

" Thank you! Jungkook-ssi is your number one fan and this means a lot to him. I'm so excited to see you perform again. We all missed GD!"

She came back and saw that Jungkook was eating with his 97 liners friends, Jin Goo and his brother.

" Noona, the food is delicious. Those mini burgers were made in heaven."

" I knew you would love them."

" Guys, isn't she the best girlfriend ever?" They all laughed at Jungkook's question

" It's so easy to please you! You're the true definition of the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." She wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her cheek.

" Man, remind me again why am I single?" Dogyeom said

" Sorry for the public display of affection." She laughed. " I have another big suprise for you !!!"

" Jinjja ?" Jungkook asked in disbelief.

" Yeah, come on guys, now that we all ate, it's time to party !! "

She dragged Jungkook in front of the stage and signaled to the DJ that it was time.

" Hello everyone, please come closer to the stage! The wildest part of this party is about to begin and I don't wanna see people sitting on their chair!" The DJ yelled in the mic and everyone came in front of the stage.

The BTS members looked at her, wondering what was going on. She didn't tell them about GD to surprise them too. She knew they were big fan.

" ARE YOU READY?"

" Yeahhhhh !!!!"   
Jungkook was jumping in excitement.

The music started, Jungkook recognized the song, looked at her with round eyes and then Jiyong appeared singing the first verse of Crooked.

_**Yeongwonhan geon jeoldae eobseo** _   
_**Gyeolguke neon byeonhaetji** _

Everyone screamed upon seeing Gdragon on stage. She laughed because Jungkook's jaw threatened to drop on the floor.

All the guests jumped, danced and sang along with GD. Jungkook took her hand and they danced, screamed the lyrics like there was no tommorow.

GD then sang Bang Bang Bang and invited Jungkook on stage with him. His smile was so huge, it made her heart soar with joy. She wished he would remain happy and carefree like this forever.

GD and JK came off the stage and they all danced to Fantastic Baby.

" The last time I had fun like that was when we went to a club in L.A 4 years ago" she said to Yoo Inna. Ji Eun's face was red from the alcohol and excitement.

" I know!! I feel like I'm 24 again!"

" Sometimes I really forgot you're almost 40! Ahjumma, let's dance "

" Yah !!! Shut up"

The party continued with other songs. Everyone was enjoying themselves. She watched BTS members talking to Jiyong and other guests.

The alcohol started to mingle in her blood system. Funny how she told the barman earlier to control what people drink and she's the one who got drunk.  
She ate small apetizers and laughed when she accidentally bumped into two young boys. One of them had a funny birthday hat with candles.

" I'm sorry "

" Oh IU sunbaenim ! Are you okay? Your face is red. Omo I'm so excited to meet you. I'm a huge fan."

" Owww thank you, what's your names?"

" Beomgyu and Soobin from Tommorow by Together" they bowed

" Yeah TXT! You won Rookie of the year at GDA, Mma and Mama. " she remembered

" Oh my God, Beomgyu-ah she knows us." Soobin who looked like an excited bunny shook his friend's shoulders.

" You two are funny and you remind me of my Kookie! Kookie-ah!" She called her boyfriend. She found him surrounded by his idols friends, BTS members, GD, Jin Goo and Seo Joon.

They were no chair left so she sat on Jungkook's lap.

" Kookie-ah, I just saw two cutie bunnies wearing your birthday hat. Their names are Soobin-ssi and Beomgyu-ssi. Let's adopt them so we could be a huge bunny/golden family." She whispered to him but she realized she said it loud because everyone laughed.

" Oups!" She giggled

" Noona, I think you're drunk." Jungkook pointed out.

" I'm not drunk. I can't be drunk before the cake. I'll sober up."

Yoo Inna came with a glass of water for Ji Eun.

" So you're a soju ambassador who can't hold her liquor." Park Seo Joon said

" Yah Seo Joon oppa! My job is only to make the product interesting and to urge people to buy it. I've never said anything about me handling the alcohol well. You should know, you were also a Chamisul ambassador."

" I can't count on my hands the number of times they told us to lie about a product to sell it." JB of GOT7 commented

" Our group made several chicken commercials but I don't like crispy chicken." Mingyu said

The conversation went on but she zoned out.

She felt Jungkook's fingers playing with the back of her dress. She gulped and shifted to allow his hand to trail lower. He glanced at her and understood they were both horny.

  
She excused herself saying she needed to refresh herself. Jungkook proposed to accompany her for "safety purpose". She rolled her eyes when he boasted that a good boyfriend couldn't let his drunk girlfriend wander alone.

" Couldn't you be less obvious? Now they all suspect we just wanted some time alone" She giggled when they were in the ladies bathroom. She checked if it was empty.

" What's wrong with that?"

" You know rumours spread like fire. Don't want them to think we're doing kinky things in the bathroom." She pouted and pushed him in a stall.

" But isn't that precisely what we're going to do?" He looked confused

" Yeah but there's a difference between them being suspicious and them knowing nothing at all." She tried to explain but the look on his face told her he wasn't convinced by her logic.

*******

She crashed her lips on his, feeling the urgency to satisfy her needs. His hands cuped her breasts and pinched a nipple. She threw her head back, lost in the tingling sensation.

" This dress is setting me on fire" he said between kisses. She sat on the toilet seat's lid and went for his zipper.

" You gotta stay quiet ok?" She looked up at him. He nodded enthusiastically so she took him in her mouth and started to suck.

His breath quickened and the grip on her hair started to loosen and then strengthened when she sucked harder and his hips thrusted instinctively.

" I can't take it anymore. I...I'm gonna cum." He panted

" Go on, I wanna taste you"

That was enough to send him over the edge and he threw his head back in pleasure. She felt the warm and thick liquid down her throat and on her tongue.

*********

" Jagiya, are you okay?" He worried

" Yeah" she didn't got time to catch her breath because they heard the bathroom door open and panicked. Jungkook arranged his boxers and pants. She tried to stand up. However her hasty movement caused him to stumble back and open accidentally their stall's door.

She watched in horror as the couple who were kissing in front of the sink shrieked in surprise and turned around.

Her jaw dropped when she recognized Yoongi and an unknown blonde woman.

" Hyung ! Soo Hyun-ssi !" Jungkook yelled in disbelief

" What are you two doing there alone?" Yoongi asked, his eyes went from Jungkook's hand still trying to hold his pants and her disheveled hair.

" Ssibal!" (Fuck!) Yoongi's eyes widened when he understood

" Okay. Why don't we all agree that we didn't see anything? What happened here stay here." The young woman named Soo Hyun suggested

" Good idea!" Ji Eun nodded

Yoongi and Jungkook stood frozen in their spot and couldn't look at each other in the eyes.

After seconds of awkward silence, Yoongi and Soo Hyun got out of the ladies bathroom.

Jungkook looked at her with his eyes saying " what the hell just happened?". They burst out laughing when the adrenaline went out and they realized the situation.

Ji Eun wasn't sure if it was due to the combination of various events today. But she had never laughed so much in her life and had fun like this.

Cheers to an unforgettable birthday!


	28. Mikrokosmos

A black cat crossed the hallway when they came out of the bathroom.

"Jieun-ah, look there's a cute cat" he pointed

"Where? I don't see anything" she replied. He turned around and didn't saw the cat anymore. He must have imagined it because why would a stray cat wander alone in a 5-stars hotel.

At midnight, the party was still in full swing when Ji Eun and Jungkook came back.

" What did I miss?" He asked Jackson and Jaebom. They were laughing at poor Bambam.

" Bammie just admitted his first kiss was Lisa-ssi from Blackpink!!!" The GOT7 leader replied

" Really?" Jungkook asked in disbelief. Bambam's ears were bright red.

" Stop making such a fuss about it! We were 11! It was back in Thailand when we were in the same dance group. We played spin the bottle and she kissed me." Jimin and Dokyeom kept teasing Bambam, asking him questions about his friendship with Lisa and urging him to make a move on her. Bambam insisted they were just bestfriends.

" What took you so long?" Taehyung eyed him and Ji Eun suspiciously

" Yeah, you were gone for 20 minutes" Minghao said with a smirk

" Kookie-ah, Jieun-ssi, why are your faces so flushed?" Jin asked

" And you're sweating" Eun Woo pointed out with that beautiful (but right now annoying) smile of his. Did they all agree to gang up against him today? Wait until he got something juicy to tease them too.

" We just wanted fresh air. I feel better now. Thanks for caring!" Ji Eun lied smoothly, with a look that said end of the discussion so the boys shut their mouths. Jungkook hid his satisfied smirk behind his wine glass. His eyes searched for Yoongi.

" Hyung" he whispered when the blonde man finally caught his glance.

" Yes ?" Yoongi said nonchalantly. Yeo Jin Goo and Namjoon who sat behind Yoongi also turned their heads towards him. Jungkook's mind panicked for a second. What was he supposed to say?

" Hyung, do you want to try the gambas dumplings and the lamb skewers?" Jungkook's eyes were pleading him. He really needed to talk to him alone.

" Yeah, I was hungry anyway. Let's go."

The two made their way to the buffet and he shoved two dumplings in his mouth to give himself some courage.

" Hyung, I'm sorry for what happened earlier" Jungkook lowered his head in shame.

Getting caught receiving a blowjob in the ladies bathroom was not something he was proud of. Okay it was certainly hilarious and embarrassing. Even if they agreed to pretend it didn't happen, he knew things will be awkward with Yoongi and he needed to settle it.

" Well, to be honest, I would have prefered to avoid seeing it because you're my baby brother and it was a weird situation. You're an adult now and we're all aware that it's totally normal to do some stuffs with your girlfriend. Kookie-ah, I don't know what to say. I'm also guilty of being reckless so in truth I'm not entitled to say those things to you. I'm sorry if I sound like I'm lecturing you. I know that maintaining a normal relationship when you're a celebrity is a difficult. Maybe it's good thing that we caught each other, instead of someone else. We should always be very careful even if the people here are our friends. One rumor or scandal can destroy our reputation and hers."

" How long have you been with Soo Hyun-ssi? Do the others know?" Jungkook asked. He suspected something was going on between the two producers since Yoongi always acted differently around her. His hyung blushed and rubbed his neck.

" I kinda had a crush on her. You know we worked a lot together for Agust D's D2. Last month, I blurted out accidentally that I liked her and she said she had a thing for me since the beginning but was too afraid to ruin our friendship and professional relationship. We're keeping it low key. Nobody knows. Tonight was an accident because we drank too much. Could you keep it to yourself? We're still figuring things out and I'll talk to the others when the time will be right."

" Of course hyung! I'm...I'm genuinely happy for you two."

Keeping things from the other members was a difficult task for Jungkook because he was always so open and naive. However he could make an effort this time for his precious hyung.

" Thanks Kookie. Now that it's settled, let's eat lamb skewers."

Gdragon joined them a few minutes later and they discussed about music. Jungkook was over the moon when his favorite idol complimented his solo mixtape and Yoongi's.

" My favorites are Daewchita, Set me free, Decalcomania and Still with you."

" Thank you GD sunbaenim" Jungkook bowed

" You can call me Jiyong or hyung. You know, I see a lot of myself in both of you. We both started at the lowest point to build a name for ourselves and generate the growth of our agencies. We used our music to address issues like mental health, this toxic environment, the struggle to live up to our names and stages persona. I thought about it a lot and I would really love to collaborate with BTS. We could do amazing things together."

Jiyong was nervously twirling his glass while he talked, eyes fixed elsewhere with a shy smile on his face. Jungkook couldn't believe this was the same Gdragon that set stages on fire with his swag and confidence.

" Wow , Jiyong hyung it's an honour. The charts aren't ready for our collab. It will be epic!!!" Yoongi commented enthusiastically. Jungkook smiled back, euphoric by the simple idea of working with Gdragon.

They continued discussing about music, the cost of success, their fears, the evolution of kpop and its future. It was a very interesting conversation. He understood better now the appeal Jiyong found in Decalcomania and what he expressed in his songs Divina Commedia and Superstar. Just like them, Jiyong felt intense loneliness and a big pressure to outdo himself.

The emptiness present in Jungkook's heart was now filled with Ji Eun's love and he felt less lonely. Although, he was still scared about the future.

" All the money and the fame in the world couldn't compensate the void she left. So I lived in the past, clinging to our happy memories, wishing her good things from afar. I realized this unhealthy behaviour needed to stop only 2 years after our break up." Jiyong said with a bitter smile

" Why did you two break up?" Jungkook asked, then apologized when he realized how indiscreet his question was. Jiyong just brushed off his apology.

" We've been on and off for 4 years. I was busy and Kiko chan was living in Japan but we made it work. The moments we spent together were precious and scarce so we made the most of it. At some point we were giving 0 shit about people's opinion. Fuck haters, fuck Dispatch. But then some rumors kept going on and took its toll on her: people inventing stories or twisting what she said to make her look bad, people who kept calling her Gdragon's japanese girlfriend instead of her name on the medias and in her job, people who kept saying she used me to be famous and to get modeling contracts which invalidated all her hard work. She said she didn't give a damn about it, but her smiles were different, not as bright as before. Kiko chan's happy persona changed into someone who was angry at the world, eager to prove herself and to get rid of the shadow that I casted unwillingly on her. I was also dealing with a lot of issues: depression mainly. Bigbang and YG faced several scandals. And a part of me didn't want help, didn't want to reach out to her especially. It created misunderstandings between us. We both pretended to be fine when we were suffering inside. We did and said things we both regreted later. So the most logical solution was to break up. I thought it would set us free from the unhappiness."

" So are you happy now?" Yoongi quietly asked Jiyong

" I don't know anymore what happiness is. There are good moments in my life now but are they good enough to be labeled happy moments? I don't know. I guess it worked for her. She seems livelier now and she achieved most of her dreams. Even if we both moved on and dated other people, she will always remain my greatest love. Hardships and heartbreaks made me reflect about the value of love."

Jungkook stayed silent, his mind and heart tried to deal with what Jiyong said. Not all love stories had a happy ending. He was well aware of that.

Love was even more a complicated story when you have their celebrity status. Idols have to make double efforts to make their relationships work and last. Sometimes it was exhausting because they felt like there were too many obstacles. What would happen to them? For now things with Ji Eun were more than good but what about later? For example when he will go to the army for two years or when he will be gone on tour for months. Will she realize it's not worth all the trouble?

" I'm sorry, this is a joyous occasion. I shouldn't have told you about my dramatic love life. Let's forget what I said and enjoy this special night!" Jiyong raised his glass. Jungkook managed to smile and clinked his glass. Yoongi also looked pensive but finally smiled at the older rapper.

" Guys we have a big announcement tonight." Taehyung said on the stage. When he got everyone's attention, he passed the mic to Namjoon.

" First of all: I want to thank all of you for being here tonight for our maknae's birthday. Secondly: thank you Ji Eun noona for this amazing surprise party. Thirdly: most of you know that Jungkook released his first mixtape today. Well, we just learned that it's right now #1 on itunes in 50 countries, #3 in the US's chart, #1 digital album in Korea and #1 on Billboard's world album. So please let's give him a big round of applause. We are all very proud of you JK."

His mind had a hard time processing the news. He did that! He was so stressed about the release, he kept thinking negative outcomes. Army will never cease to amaze him. Everyone clapped and congratulated him. Jungkook felt the room spinning in blue and gold, like his body was in a trance mode and his heart was beating rapidly.

" And the last but not the least: happy birthday Jungkook-ssi. We wish you all the happiness in the world and we're so thankful for your presence in our life. Chukkae! " Namjoon said

The lights went out, the main door opened and Ji Eun entered the room pushing a tray with a huge cake. They all sang Happy birthday and in his ear the song mixed in a strange way with the loud beating of his heart. He was overwhelmed by so many things so he concentrated on Ji Eun's beautiful smile. She was radiating happiness. Her eyes looked at him as if he was the moon.

" Happy birthday my love, make a wish" she pushed the cake in front of him.

His brothers: Jung Hyun, Jin, Yoongi, Namjoon, Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung gathered around him. He looked around the people in the room who were always there for him: from the Big Hit staff to his friends. He thought about his fans incredible support for his mixtape and for his career. He tought about his parents who called him this morning and he looked up at his angel Ji Eun. He closed his eyes and made the wish to always be surrounded by the same people. Everyone cheered when he blew the candles. Ji Eun came closer to him and he kissed her.

" I have something for you" she pulled a tiny velvet box from her purse and handed it to him

" Are you proposing to me?" He teased when he recognized the jewelry box

" I didn't get on one knee. Don't get your hopes up." She stuck her tongue at him. He chuckled, opened the box and smiled when saw the two rings.

" Couple rings. You're going away on tour for three months and I'll be busy with the release of my album and its promotion. I thought it would be good to have a little reminder of our love when we are far away."

" Yah I thought I was the cheesy one in our couple. You're stealing my role."

" Yah Jeon Jungkook, you better remember I love you and don't you dare look at other girls and say they are pretty. Even if they are your fans and they are begging you to say so."

" Arrasseo! Jagiya, you know you're the only one for me." She seemed satisfied with his answer and kissed him again.

💛💙💛💙💛💙

The party died down at 2 am and everyone went home. Jungkook thanked everyone for his best birthday party ever. Jin and Hoseok made sure all of his birthday gifts went to the dorm safely. A drunk Dokyeom tried to kiss him in the mouth when they said goodbye. He was later dragged in the car by Minghao and Mingyu.

Jungkook was looking forward to his last night with Ji Eun before he went away for three months on the road. Exhausted by the day and the party, they went to their hotel room at Paradise City, followed by a bodyguard.

" Which floor are we staying? " He asked when they were in the elevator.

"Fourth" She replied so Jungkook clicked on the F button. Many elevators in South Korea actually use the letter "F" in place of the number "4" to represent the fourth floor. He found it curious that a big hotel like Paradise City would believe the superstition behind the number 4 and its relation to death.

They arrived in front of their room's door. Ji Eun struggled to find the hotel key card in her purse. She let several items fall on the floor, he tried to help her but then he accidentally stepped on her pocket mirror and lipstick.

"Shit, I'm sorry!"

She picked up the fallen pieces and cut her finger on a broken glass. The blood dropped on the glass and Jungkook froze. A sense of déjà vu filled his mind. But why and what exactly? His instinct told him that something was off.

" Gwenchana, it's just a tiny cut." Ji eun reassured him.   
Finally in their hotel room, he helped her put a small band-aid on her finger.

He checked BTS's SNS to see the posts for his birthday while Ji Eun was in the bathroom.

It was nice to see all the wishes from Armys. Korean and international fandoms made a donation on his name to an animal shelter and an orphanage. A chinese fandom even rented ad spots in 5 buildings and subways to wish him Happy birthday. He posted a selca and a message on twitter, weibo and weverse to thank everyone.

 _Lust for life_ by Lana del Rey and The Weeknd softly played in the room.

Ji Eun came back, dressed in a black lingerie and high heels. Damn, she was so freaking sexy. He really felt like the luckiest man.

" Jagiya, I just turned 24 today. Are you attempting to kill me tonight? Let me live at least a few more years."

" Shut up and just take off your clothes." He loved when she was bossy in bed.


	29. Blueming

**Day** **1**

Hanteo looked at Ji Eun's recent post on Instagram and sighed.

" **_We_** ** _agreed_** ** _to keep a low profile._** ** _Why_** ** _did you make a post about him?"_** He texted her. Big Hit might get mad, seeing they broke part of the deal about the communication on their relationship.

" **_They_** ** _bashed_** ** _me on SNS yesterday and this_** ** _morning_** ** _for not_** ** _acknowledging_** ** _his birthday._** ** _Now_** ** _that I_** ** _posted_** ** _something about it, you're saying I might get criticized for it?_** ** _This_** ** _is_** ** _driving_** ** _me_** ** _crazy_** **"** She replied.

Hanteo sighed again, took his car keys and made his way into the office. It was still early morning so he knew we would be the first in the office.

"Excuse me! " Hanteo stopped in his track, looked at the older man who called him. It was the building's security guard.  
They greeted each other.

" Can I talk to you sir?" The man's hands fidgeted, he was nervously adjusting his uniform's cap. Hanteo wondered why he looked so uncomfortable.

" Yes, of course"

" You told me to notify you if we receive suspicious packages. I found this box in front of the office when I did my round this morning. I checked it out and I was quite shocked by what I've seen."

The security guard led him into his small office and opened the box.

" Bloody hell" exclaimed Hanteo. Goosebumps ran in his arms when he saw the cake with broken glasses and blood. Who the hell sent this? 

The security guard gave him a very familiar black and grey enveloppe. Hanteo immediately recognized the nature of the threat: " **This is only a warning. Snow White better stay away from the 7 dwarves. She might not be able to look into a mirror ever again. Jeon Jungkook-ssi/oppa your betrayal cut deeply into our heart. Don't treat us like fools."**

Hanteo's blood pressure rose when he read the message. These people are fucking insane. What are they intending to do? Hurt Jungkook and Ji Eun? Why couldn't they just leave them alone? 

" I checked the security camera. A masked man wearing black delivered the package around 5 am. They used the fact that I left my post and went quickly to the restroom to depose it. I'm deeply sorry." he bowed and showed Hanteo the CCTV footage. 

"It's alright, don't feel guilty about it. This is the first time we're confronted to something like this. This is not a simple prank, they are observing us. I'll call the policemen in charge of the investigation. Could you please keep this to yourself and be extracareful from now on about who goes in and out of this area ?"

"Of course, sir"

"Thank you" Hanteo said before calling Sejin and the policemen.

Two days later, Inspector Hwang called him to say the forensic analysis showed a lethal dose of cyanide in the cake. Unfortunately they didn't found a single fingertip on the cake nor the box.

Hanteo's conscience was torn: Ji Eun needed to be focused on her new album right now and she was a bit sad due to Jungkook's departure on tour. She was aware of the threats and she told him she had nightmares about it a few weeks ago How should he deliver the news that someone or more likely a group of people sent her a poisoned cake? 

💙💙💬📱📞🎶💙💙

**In the words "What are you doing"**   
**What I actually mean is "I miss you"**   
**In each emoticon**   
**I wonder if you know my subtle changing feelings**

** Day  ** ** 7 **

The sun set a long time ago in Seoul. Ji Eun watched from Edam Entertainment's office as people navigated through the street below at night. She invented fictional characters and stories in her head: the middle-aged woman closed the bakery to finally go home to her two kids. The young man coming out of the IT office would pass by the convenient store and eat alone in his one bedroom apartment. What does it feel like to have normal work-hours? How does it feel to have a normal life and job? She wondered a lot about it nowadays. 

She took a break 10mn ago from the studio to drink a cup of coffee. She checked her phone but there were still no messages from Jungkook. She laughed at herself when she remembered she set a world clock for every city BTS will have a concert so she would know the time difference.

"Jieun-ah, everyone's back from the break. We're ready to record again. Come on ahjumma!" Jukjae said, his guitar on his hand.

She looked up again at her phone. It was 9 pm in Seoul but 5 am in Los Angeles. He was still asleep, she thought. But it's been seven days since he left, three days since his last call and almost 24 hours since his last messages. She shook her head: counting the days and hours was ridiculous. Why I am like this? She knew he was very busy and would have texted her if he could. But it still hurt when he didn't reply to her text.

" Are you okay? You usually reply something witty or scold me when I call you ahjumma!" Jukjae worried

" Oppa, that ahjumma joke is so outdated. It doesn't affect me anymore. Please find something fresher. Come on, let's finish this song, then we can all go home." She put her phone back in her jean's pocket and pushed the door of the studio.

💙💙💬📱📞🎶💙💙

**I know we feel the same, rea-la-lize**   
**Don't think too hard about what you are going to say, just reply**   
**My slightly playful metaphor**   
**I wonder how you will interpret it**

**Day** **10**

The minute her phone rang and she saw Kookie 🐰💙, she jumped off of her bed and let him know how upset she was.

" What didn't you call me sooner?" She exclaimed

" Hello noona"

" I waited for your calls and texts like a stupid and obsessed girlfriend. You were unreachable when I called and you didn't reply for days. Why are doing this to me? Why am I reacting like this?" She sobbed on the phone. She hated how vulnerable and sensitive she became the past 10 days.

" I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. The beginning of the tour was hell. We had a big technical difficulty with the stages and the decors. We had to adapt our scenography, which means countless hours of rehearsals in a short period of time. I'm barely standing up on my feet. The 7 of us and the staff are on the brink of a burn out. Mianhe noona. I was so exhausted everytime I came back to the hotel and the time difference made it difficult to call you. You're also working hard on your album and I didn't want to bother you. Things are tense here, it's like I'm losing my mind. How are we supposed to endure 11 more shows? "

Ji Eun sobbed even harder when she heard him crying on the phone. 

" I'm sorry too. I knew you must have been busy but I couldn't help feeling slightly hurt. It brought out some insecurities. Mianhe Kookie-ah"

" I miss you so much. I promise I'll send you texts whenever I can, no matter the hour."

" I feel better now. Do you want to talk about what's going on?"

" If you don't mind, yes please. My heart feels heavy right now and I need to talk to someone. My hyungs are as exhausted and concerned as me. I can't talk to them about my fears that we can't continue like this. We can't cancel or report the tour, it's too late but all those last minute  
contingences are making our job strenuous."

She listened to him for an hour and tried to reassure him and give him advices from her own experience. He asked about her album and schedules. Things were progressing well. She finished recording the songs and today she had a shooting photo for the album. She didn't tell him about the poisoned cake and the threats, fearing it would stress him even more.

" Noona, I love you with all my heart. Whatever happens, please never forget that." He said when it was time to hang up.

" Okay, I love you too, so much that it's seriously driving me crazy ! "  
She smiled when he laughed at her declaration.

" Bye, take care"

" Bye" she whispered before he hung up. She collapsed on her bed and the tears started flooding again. Since when did she become such an emotional person?

💙💙💬📱📞🎶💙💙

 **Day 2** 3

She squealed upon seeing the picture he just sent her. The high-pitched sound made a few heads turn in the changing room .

" What got you so happy?" Her stylist Joo Hee asked her

" Look at how handsome my Kookie is with his new hair color!!" Ji Eun showed them the picture. 

" Jieunie, you're so lucky He's not my style but this color suits him. You two look so good together! You look like a Crazy Rich Asian couple!" Joo Hee complimented. Wait...that was a compliment right? Ji Eun wondered. 

" Not everyone can pull off a platinum blonde-haired look. My husband tried it once when H.O.T made it popular 20 years ago. I saw his pictures, it looked awful on him. " Her hairstylist Seo Yoon laughed.

They went back to work and helped her with the 5th look of the MV shooting: a yellow Peggy Gou pajamas set.

Her song _Eight_ , featuring Suga and also produced by him before he went on tour, will be released in one week as her album's title single.

When the MV shooting was done two days later, she opened her blue chatroom with Jungkook and sent him a picture.

" **_Thinkingaboutyou_** "   
" **_Kidding_** ** _, I was just wondering if I_** ** _should_** ** _share_** ** _my chocolate with the staff or not! #existentialquestion #missyou_** "

He replied 5 hours later: " **_My_** ** _pretty_** ** _noona who's always_** ** _protective_** ** _of her chocolate. 😍😍 I'm in_** ** _Mexico_** ** _right now, they have amazing_** ** _chocolates_** ** _here. I_** ** _bought_** ** _a_** ** _huge_** ** _package_** ** _for you._** **🥴😏😜"**

 **"** ** _I can't_** ** _wait_** ** _to see you!_** ** _It's_** ** _been_** **23 days and there's still 47 days left. I hope you're doing well and** **_taking_** ** _care of_** ** _yourself_** ** _. I saw videos of your_** ** _concerts_** ** _on_** ** _Instagram_** _ **. You**_ ** _guys_** ** _are_** ** _killing_** ** _it!!! #proudgirlfriend. Let's keep_** ** _texting_** **💬🗨️💌."**

**_"_ ** **_Thank_ ** **_you !! Good luck for_ ** **_Eight's_ ** **_release. I'm_ ** **_listening_ ** **_to it non-stop_ ** **_whenever_ ** **_I can._ ** **_Take_ ** **_care too._ ** **_From_ ** **_your (tired) bunny, with love_ ** **. 🐰🥴**


	30. Eight

** Day ** ** 28 **

Ji Eun held tightly to her chest the two postcards Jungkook sent her from Paris. She opened Google translation and typed "Je t'aime mon amour". Her heart fluttered when she learned it meant " I love you, darling" in French. 

  
She read again his message and sighed: he was such a sweet boyfriend.

Kang Hanna came back from the bathroom and found Ji Eun smiling dreamingly at the ceiling.

" What has gotten into you? You're creepily smiling at nothing" Her friend pointed out

" I'm just thanking my lucky stars for giving me Jeon Jungkook. Look at what he sent to me. He was having a concert in Paris a few days ago." She handed her friend the postcards.

" Aigo, the guy is for sure a romantic one. It's nice !"

" Unnie, I'm so in love with him! Ottoke?"

" Jieunie, I've never seen you madly in love like this. It's almost cute! You love him, he genuinely loves you. You just started your love story. What could go wrong? Just enjoy the feeling while it lasts."

" This relationship is really challenging. Do you think we will last?" 

" I may not be the right person you should ask that. I've been so disappointed by love itself. I finished a very interesting book by this French author, don't remember his name. The title was _Love_ _lasts_ _three years_. In the end the book says that love doesn't last three years but it reminded me a lot of my situation with my ex-boyfriend. You know the one who cheated on me. The book kinda gave me a new perspective of what goes inside a man's head and why some relationship doesn't work. "

" Do you think one of us could cheat on the other one day?" Ji Eun asked, visibly worried.

" No no that's not what I meant when I said that. I don't think it could ever happen to both of you."

" Our relationship is based on the unwavering certainty that we love each other. I can't imagine a world where Jungkook doesn't love me anymore. My feelings for him keep growing and I'm certain my love won't change in 10 or 30 years. But those are my thoughts right now. What if one day, this truth will no longer be true? Hanna unnie, how do I deal with that? How can I protect myself from the heartbreak? "

" Keep having faith in your mutual love and be open to him. If he gives you love, respect and attention, treat him that way too. Whatever is on your mind, tell him so you could figure it out together. Don't let misunderstandings and lack of communication ruin your relationship."  
Hanna had a far away look that reflected the pain she was feeling.

" You never told me the details of your break-up. What happened between you two?" Ji Eun quietly inquired

" I realized a man's brain can sometimes think in a different way than ours. The logic behind their actions is sometimes surprising. When I asked my ex why he cheated on me, his excuse was he thought I wasn't interested in him anymore so he was looking for comfort elsewhere. The truth was I was tired of always making big efforts in our relationship and we lacked communication. I became easily irritated by his lack of initiatives and he interpreted it as a sign that I didn't love him anymore. Of course it does not excuse what he has done, he's still a jerk for cheating but I learned that sometimes we have to try to take more time to understand what goes on in their heads. Same for him, he should have made efforts to understand my feelings and my point of view about our relationship. Yeah instead of quickly jumping to conclusion. " Hanna explained with a long sigh

There were, of course, aspects she didn't know well about Jungkook's personality and way of thinking. But Ji Eun knew the main issues he was dealing with. He had always been open about them and she appreciated it.

As long as they kept an open communication and trusted in each other's love, things will be fine. She thought. 

That night, when Kang Hanna was gone after watching a movie with her, Ji Eun went to bed wearing Jungkook's white shirt.

" I miss you." she whispered to his drawing, placed on her nightstand.

🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

**_Day 34_ **

" Hello everyone, today on Running man, we have a special guest. Let's see who it is!" Yoo Jae Suk announced. 

The producer told Ji Eun to go to the entrance. She striked a pose and the curtain opened to reveal her identity to the cast and the cameras. They all feigned a surprised face, as if they didn't have a meeting 2 hours earlier to discuss about this episode. 

" It's IU-ssi !! I'm so excited" said So Min 

" Today is Friday and it will definitely be a Good Day. I should have put my Red Shoes" they all laughed at Haha's pun and she congratulated him for his joke. 

" Annyeonghaseyo, I'm IU and I'm happy to be back on Running Man, please take good care of me!" She bowed. 

The cast clapped and her song Eight played so everyone danced. 

" As you might now, IU-ssi released a new song and a new album this week. It's already #1 on the charts.Congratulations !! " Jae Sook applauded 

" I love how the song makes me want to dance but the lyrics makes me want to cry." Jihyo told them.

They exchanged casualties and jokes in front of the camera, then the director yelled "Cut". 

She was on her way to change into a more confortable outfit when Yoo Jae Suk approached her.

" Ji Eun-ssi, thank you for accepting our invitation. I know you don't appear often on variety shows and you had a bad experience here last time. But we've been suffering a decrease of our domestic ratings. We hope this episode will gain Korean viewers interest. I will of course return the favor in whatever aspect I can." 

Running Man was one of the toughest variety show to shoot. It was well-known to be physically demanding. She almost drowned the last time she came here, due to her struggle to float when they dove into the pool. 

" Oppa, I'm glad I could help you. And I also wanted to do something different from my routine. Thank you for promoting my album and for taking into account some of my demands today for the shooting." She accepted to guess on the variety show if they chose something physically light and which represents no danger. 

They were back in the front of the camera, all dressed in comfy pants and name-tagged shirts of different colors: 

\- Lee Kwang Soo joined her on team orange along with Haha

\- Yang Se Chan, Yoo Jae Suk and Jeon So Min were in team white

\- Ji Sukjin, Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Kook were together in team purple. 

The game's goal was to rip off the others team's name tag. The team with the most tag wins a 30 seconds advance and a clue for the next game. It's supposed to be a one on one, no help from the team. 

She ran around the building and spotted Se Chan. She hid behind a pilar and ran towards him when he was distracted. She yelled in victory when she managed to rip off his nametag. 

" Se Chan-ssi is out!" Yelled the producer 

She walked around the hallways, looking for other contestants. Jong Kook saw her and marched in her direction, she ran away from him and he chased her. She almost fell on the stairs and he caught her. She tried to protect her tag but his imposing stature was overpowering her petite body's efforts. She sighed when he ripped off the tag. He apologized and gave her a hand to get up. 

"Gwenchanayo ?" 

" Yes, I'm fine, thanks" He nodded and went to search for other contestants. Ji Eun ran into Lee Kwang Soo on her way to the meeting point for all the teams. 

"IU-ssi are you out?" Asked her teammate 

"Ne, Kim Jong Kook-ssi got me, he ran upstairs!" 

" I'm gonna get him to avenge you!!" 

" Yeahhh go oppa!" She cheered and he dashed upstairs. She joined the group of losers : Jae Suk, Ji Hyo, Se Chan. 

" So Min is the only one standing in your team?" She asked Se Chan 

" Yeah, you still got 2 teammates right? Ji Hyo-ssi too? Hyung, I didn't get a tag, you only got one, we will be the last!! " 

An assistant gave them a bottle of water and Ji Eun gasped when she realized her couple ring was no longer on her finger. 

" OH NO!! Where is it?" She exclaimed

" What's wrong?" Jae Suk was immediately at her side 

" I lost my ring!" She showed him her empty hand. 

" What does it look like?" 

" It's a simple golden ring. I have to find it! I can't lose it" Her head swarmed with the possible locations where it might have slipped off her fingers. It was her couple ring with Jungkook for his birthday, she couldn't imagine going on without it or telling him she no longer have hers. Ottoke? 

" We'll search for it with you" Ji Hyo said when she noticed the panicked look on Ji Eun's face. 

They halted the filming for a moment and everyone searched the building. She came back to the last places she went during the filming. 

" I found it !!! " A cameraman yelled and she ran to him. Her ring fell next to the door she clung to when Kim Jong Kook tried to rip her tag. 

" Thank you! This ring means a lot to me" She bowed to the young man. She tried to remember the cameraman's name and thanked the entire Running Man crew for searching with her. 

She sent them a foodtruck the next week as a thank you gift. She included a signed album and restaurant coupons for the cameraman. 

🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

**_Day 40_ **

It's been a while since her last appearance at SBS Inkigayo. She ran into one of the show's long time producer and they chatted over a cup of coffee. It was a bit painful to talk about the time when she was a MC in 2011 with Sulli and Hara.

She was eating the famous Inkigayo sandwich with a strawberry jam, potato and egg salad in the cafeteria when a large group of boys greeted her. 

"Say the name! Hello, we're Seventeen. Nice to see you IU- sunbaenim" they bowed in synchronisation 

" Hello, how are you? " 

" We're fine, thank you. IU sunbaenim we wanted to give you our new album." The leader SCoups handed her the signed album. It was a common thing for juniors to give a signed album to their seniors. She used to do it a lot when she was a rookie singer. Seventeen was no longer a rookie group but she appreciated the gesture. 

" Thank you!" She read the dedicace : " _ **Hello, this is Seventeen! Thank you for always being good to your hoobaes!! We're always inspired by IU sunbae's music and dramas. Stay healthy and please listen to our album a lot!!**_ "

" That's really nice ! You've doing so well lately, I know our songs are in competition today but you've worked really hard. Your level of synchronisation is incredible. Have you guys eaten yet?" They felt so happy hearing her compliments. They shook their heads. 

" We still have 20mn left before we have to get ready for make up and outfits. Do you want to eat sandwiches? I'm treating you today. " 

" Thank you! We'd love to join you for lunch!" SCoups replied.

They found some chairs and tried to fit the 13 boys into three tables. She sat in the middle, between Vernon and Mingyu. They started a conversation about their current activities. She complimented Seungkwan for his cover of Love poem. Dokyeom envetually made a joke about missing Jungkook. 

" I miss him a lot too. It's not easy but we both need to keep a strong mindset. Thank God I have a busy schedule, my mind needs to be occupied by other thoughts. You know, it's nice to have someone to talk to during the music shows. Being a solo artist is quite lonely sometimes. Especially at award shows when I have to sit alone for hours. It's like people don't want to sit next to me. Do I look scary?"

" People have a lot of respect for you. They are a bit intimidated to sit next to you and talk to you." Joshua explained 

" Don't worry sunbae, we'll keep you company if no one talks to you. Whenever BTS sunbaes will be absent, we'll be your bodyguards and entertainers. It's the least we could do for you and Jungkook hyung. " Minghao promised

She smiled at them, touched by their words.

🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

Everything was ready for her performance: the exotic garden decor, her pastel mic and earphone, the pre-recorded music, her make-up and white dress. 

"2 mn" the producer announced. She was always a bit nervous before a live performance so she did a few breathing exercice to calm down. Seoyun fixed her bangs while Shinae added a last touch to her make-up. 

"Fighting Jieunie" they cheered for her

" Thank you! Let's do this" 

Being on stage, singing live and hearing fan's cheers were her favorite sensation. She sang the song with all her might. She thought about Sulli, Hara and Jonghyun, about the perspectives of her current life and her feelings as a 28 years-old. Sulli passed away a year ago. Her family intended to hold a small ceremony on the 14th of October. Ji Eun will be there to pay her respect.

"Jinri-ah, Hara-ya, oppa, I hope you're finally happy now" she thought at the end of the song.

She was beyond happy when _Eight_ was announced as the winner of the week on Inkigayo. The song completed a triple crown and Ji Eun thanked her fans and everyone who worked on the song, especially Suga. Seventeen unfortunately didn't win with their song _Left and right_ but they genuinely cheered for her during the encore stage. 

🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊🍊

** Day 54 **

She opened her eyes when she finished _From Lily with love._ This was the first time she sang it without Jungkook. It made her miss him even more. 

What was he doing right now? She thought. Was he eating well? Of course he was probably eating for three persons as usual. Did he have enough rest between concerts? Did he miss her the way she missed him? Like her limbs will fail her if he didn't remind her how much he loved her, like her body was longing for his touch and his goofy smile. 

Since when did she become addicted to him? 54 days without him was a long time. Only 16 days left, she reminded herself, 16 days until they'll be back together. 

" This is the last song tonight" Uaenas protested after her statement

" I wish we could sing together for a longer time but this event has to end and we have to leave this place at 9pm" Ji Eun chuckled

"I hope you enjoyed this fan meeting as much as I did. I haven't seen you since last year and I missed you all a lot!"

"Unnie, you have a boyfriend now, it's okay to be busy! I wish I could say the same for myself." yelled a female fan. Everyone laughed at her comment.

"Ani, I worked too much last year and I wanted to slow down a little bit. I am in a age where taking care of yourself is very important. In order to love someone else, we need to love ourselves first. I hope you understand that and apply it to yourself too. IU team is currently preparing the concerts so we'll spend a lot of time together very soon." 

" I wrote _The station_ with the perspective of missing someone and wishing to meet that person again after a long time. It's a sad song, I know you love them. You won't be my fans if you didn't love sad songs. " Many fans agreed and shook their lightsticks.

" As you know, life isn't always a smooth road. Sometimes you get lost, sometimes you lose people during the travel or you meet new people at the stops and you discover a lot about the world and about yourself. But I strongly believe, no matter the circumstances, your loved ones or at least someone will always wait for you at the last stop. I hope Uaena will always wait for me at the station, no matter what happens in my life. "

" IU-ssi, saranghaeyo!!!" She smiled at the fan's declaration.

" Seeing you here gave me a lot strength. I still make music because you are listening to it. I'm happy if it can give you a little comfort when you're feeling sad, alone or disappointed. Thank you for staying by my side. I love you with all my heart. This song is for you. Don't cry too much, okay? "

They all cheered but the silence fell over the room when she sang the first notes. The dimmed light showed the faces of the fans who silently mouthed the lyrics, letting her voice fill the room. They all watched her in awe.   
Yes, this was the best feeling in the world.


	31. Still with you

**Day 4 - Los Angeles**  
" Are you okay?" Jin's voice sounded so far away. This rehearsal was slowly killing him. Jungkook's vision became blurry and his heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears. Without notice, his head hit the ground. He heard Yoongi calling his name before he fell unconscious.

_He_ _was running in a_ _endless_ _hallway_ _,_ _terrified_ _by the invisible monsters_ _chasing_ _him._ _His_ _eyes finally saw a door and he_ _dashed_ _to it without_ _thinking_ _._ _Better_ _hide_ _there_ _instead_ _of running._ _Maybe_ _it was the exit he was_ _looking_ _for._ _The_ _blinding light in the room_ _contrasted_ _with the_ _dark_ _hallway_ _. He had a déjà vu of ON's music video: the settings were similar. All the running made him_ _thirsty_ _, he slowly_ _approached_ _the stream and_ _crouched down_ _to get a_ _sip_ _._

_" Stop!"_ _Someone_ _yelled. Jungkook looked up_ _startled_ _by the voice._ _His_ _blood ran_ _cold_ _when he recognized the blonde_ _haired-man_ _._

_"_ _Jonghyun_ _hyung? " he_ _instantly_ _cried_ _"_ _What_ _are you_ _doing_ _here?_ _Wait_ _...Am I dead?" Jungkook sobbed_

_" BTS_ _has_ _been doing so well_ _lately_ _._ _Please_ _be careful, don't let your guard down."_ _Jonghyun's_ _ghost said. What was he talking about?_

_"_ _Hyung_ _, I'm sorry we could do nothing for you. I'm sorry you felt that way. You worked so hard, hyung you did well."_ _He_ _cried_

_" Don't end up like me, be careful._ _Jebal_ _..."_

_"_ _Hyung_ _, nothing was the same after your_ _death_ _. I wish things were different but I understand your pain and why you did it"_

" _Be_ _careful_ _of who you trust, don't let your guard down._ _Jebal_ _..."_ _Jonghyun_ _whispered_

 _" I hope you found_ _peace_ _" he looked up but the_ _Shinee_ _singer was no longer there_. _The_ _room_ _spinned_ _and he heard voices_ _calling_ _him._

_" Nooo oppa, what have you_ _done_ _??" An unfamiliar feminine voice shrieked_   
_" Jungkook-ssi, please_ _wake_ _up!" That was Sejin's voice_   
_"_ _What's_ _wrong with him?_ _Jagiya_ _,_ _wake_ _up" What was Ji Eun doing here?_   
_" JK-ya! " He recognized Taehyung's voice. Why was everyone calling him?_

Jungkook woke up with a gasp, looked around him and sighed in relief when he recognized the Rose Bowl Stadium's VIP saloon. A nightmare, it was just a nightmare, nothing more. 

" Where's Bang PD nim when we need him? This rythm is fucking insane. We didn't renew our contract to work to the point of physical breakdown. Part of my job is to look after them and I can't be a good leader if we work in this conditions. " He heard Namjoon's voice getting louder. Who was he talking to?

" Namjoon-ssi please calm down. I know it's unexpected and the company should have made better efforts to see if the entire scenography fit all the stages. We're sorry. Please understand that this is also hard for all of the staff. We had to work 14 hours per day for three days straight. We're just as exhausted as you. "  
Jungkook recognized Hobeom's voice.

" Wh..what happened ?" He croaked

" Kookie-ah, I'm glad you're awake" Jimin rushed to his side.

"You fainted from exhaustion. Taetae too, just a few seconds after you. You were unconscious for 20 mn. Tae's still out and the doctor said he might need a longer time than you to recover. " Namjoon explained. He was surprised to hear he was unconscious for only 20mn, his nightmare felt longer. 

"Is Taehyungie okay? " he asked, worried about his bestfriend

"His cholinergic urticaria acted up again. He just needs to rest. Don't worry, the doctor said he'll be fine. Hobi hyung , Yoongi hyung and Sejin hyung are taking him in the hospital right now." Jimin said while rubbing Jungkook's back. The maknae appreciated the soothing gesture. 

" What about the tour?" They were supposed to have the first concert tomorrow.

" We're doing a light version of the choreographies for the first two concerts. " Jin sighed and took a seat by his side.

" Fans will be disappointed" Jungkook managed to say. Jimin gave him a glass of water. His throat was hurting.

" They will be more worried if one of us faint on stage. We'll compensate by trying to have fun with the crowd. Make it more interactive. " Jin replied

Jungkook closed his eyes, trying to calm his nerves. His level of anxiety was rising so he relaxed his tensed muscle to relieve the stress. Don't think about the problems right now. You'll get through this. You've gone through difficult situations before. Things were fine in the end, he repeated to himself.

" Am I allowed to have just 3 more hours of sleep today? I only slept 4 hours last night." He voiced out loud

" Of course you can. We're all going to bed early tonight. I'm barely hanging on too. Let's rest and talk tomorrow. We'll check on Taetae in the hospital before going to back to the hotel. I'm sorry this happened, I'm glad you're fine." Namjoon said to him.

** Day ** ** 19 - Los Angeles **

Jungkook fidgeted on the couch of Ellen DeGeneres's show. Earlier in the plane, Yoongi expressed his concern over their appearance on the show as Ellen was sometimes known for being imprevisible with her actions and questions. However they couldn't say no to the invitation. Ellen DeGeneres was such an influential figure in this industry, they couldn't afford to get on her bad side.

So here they are, back in L.A, tired but still smiling. The concert in Toronto yesterday went well, the tour was progressing positively despite the chaotic beginning. Mexico was the next city. Thank God, Big Hit rented a private jet, so they could have the luxury to sleep on a bed in the plane. All the flights were gradually wearing them out.

" I heard that South Korea is quite a conservative society." Ellen said. Jungkook's attention went back to the show hostess. He spaced out for an instant and missed the conversation.

Namjoon explained how it worked and tried to share funny stories about the cultural differences.

" Which one of you is likely to get married first?" Ellen asked them at some point. Damn, they were treading on dangerous topics. Please don't pick me! He silently prayed 

He pointed at Jin, just like Namjoon. Yoongi picked himself. Jin chose Namjoon. But Jimin, Taehyung and Hobi pointed at him before they realized their mistakes. Aigo, they were supposed to avoid talking about their private lives.

" Ok, so why did you choose Jungkook?" She asked the three traitors. Now it was too late. This was the opportunity she was looking for.

" He's the only one in a serious relationship right now. So..." Taehyung shrugged

" I wasn't aware one of you is dating. Who's the lucky one?" Ellen inquired, visibly happy by the turn of the conversation. Her satisfied smile made Jungkook believe she knew beforehand he was no longer single.

Jungkook sighed and answered

" She's a korean singer and an actress. Her stage name is IU."

" Can we put her face on the screen please?" Ellen turned to the control room. They broadcasted a picture of Ji Eun at a concert, holding her guitar. She was pretty, well Ji Eun was always pretty but she looked like an angel in the picture.

" She's a superstar in Korea: her songs are always on top of the charts. She's a multitalented songwriter, model and actress. She's a very respected and well loved artist in our country. She got the nickname of nation's little sister. She's also a generous and down-to-earth person." Namjoon explained. Jungkook smiled, he was indeed lucky to have such a talented and amazing girlfriend.

" Oh so she's like the Taylor Swift of Korea " Ellen compared

" Yeah we could say that!"Hobi agreed

" Last time I asked if you hooked up with a fan, well I guess my question was wrong. I should have asked if you ever had sex with another celebrity. "   
Jungkook looked at the translator and his brow began to sweat when he understood. They all laughed awkwardly. 

" How did it begin? Jungkook did you ask her on a date first? Who made the first step?"

" We worked together on a song. And we instantly clicked. She was aware I had a thing for her because I told multiple times on TV that she was my ideal type. We got to know each other and then I asked her on a date, she said yes so that's the story."

"So what does a korean celebrity couple do ? What's the difference between an american top celebrity couple and your couple? I'm very curious to see the difference in other countries? Do you have paparazzi following you during your dates? "

Jungkook didn't know what was he allowed to say on TV. Thankfully Yoongi saved him.

" There's a lot of paparazzis in Seoul and they also try to photograph celebrities on dates. They are very well informed so you have to be careful. Korean doesn't have the same view as americans for example when it comes to celebrities dating." Yoongi tried to explain

" So how do you deal with it? How do you two spend your time? " Ellen asked Jungkook

" We obviously can't walk in the street or do whatever we want because people are following us or are taking photos. But other than that, it's pretty much normal: we go on dates at quiet places, most times we stay at home or we go out at hours when there won't be too much crowd. We spend time together whenever our busy schedules allows us. " Jungkook hoped his nervousness was not too obvious.

He felt weird and shy talking about their relationship like this on a TV show. He wasn't used being the center of attention during their interviews abroad. Namjoon usually spoke for the group. He wondered if he would get in trouble with Ji Eun and Big Hit.

"So if I sum it up and forget the paparazzi part: you're a normal couple. But if Korean society is still very conservative, does it mean young couples aren't allowed to have sex before marriage? Or do young people just all pretend to be virgins? If you get what I mean" Ellen dropped the bomb and Jungkook just wished to be swallowed by the ground. Oh my God, how do they answer that question? 

"It's a tricky matter! Everyone can do whatever they want, it's up to them to choose to wait or just go for it. In both cases, they shouldn't be judged for their decision. " Namjoon answered 

Ellen saw their discomfort and their reluctance to answer so she tried a new approach to break the silence.

"And what about the others? None of you are dating? Don't you feel lonely or jealous watching them being lovey-dovey? "

" Dating is difficult for us because of our schedule. But Jieun noona and Jungkook are a cute couple. We're happy for them!" said Taehyung

" She's part of the family now so we're protective of her too. She's a cool person and sometimes I'm envious because it's cute to see them bicker like an old-married couple." Jimin added then gasped when he realized he said the M-word. Oh oh, Jungkook knew what was coming.

" Is this serious enough to the point where you consider spending your life with her? Do you want to get married?"

All heads turned to him, Jungkook's blush intensified. He looked at Namjoon to weigh how much he was allowed to tell. The leader's eyes told him to be careful but he slightly nodded his head. Jungkook couldn't refute it on TV. It would give the impression that he wasn't taking their relationship seriously. Ji Eun would be hurt if he tried to avoid the question or say no. But fans will also freak out if he told the truth. Ottoke?

" We're not ready yet but why not in the future. I know she's the one for me. We'll see how it goes."

The audience screamed, there was a commotion because a fan fainted and the security took her outside to be checked by the medics. They paused the filming for a few minutes.

The assistants were touching up their make-up and outfits when Ellen approached them.

"So how is it going ?" she smiled

" Ellen, I just wanted to tell you we're really honoured by your invitation. We're sorry, it's still kinda of weird, at least for us, to talk about our private life openly on TV. Please, is it possible to move on to another subject ? " pleaded Namjoon

" Well we could talk about boring things but you surely understand that my job is to create interesting contents for viewers and that were exactly the details the audience wanted to hear. "

"I know but those are sensitive subjects for us and for our fans. We would feel more comfortable talking about other things."

"All right"

"Thank you Ellen" Namjoon said before joining them on the couch. Jungkook sighed in relief, the inquisition was finally over and he could breathe.

Next time, they better only guest at Jimmy Fallon and James Corden's talk shows. He didn't want to go through this again.

** Day 3 ** **4- London**

They hurried backstage after singing _On_. Jungkook had a hard time catching his breath after _On_ 's physically demanding choreography. He was however in a better state than Jimin who needed an oxygen respirator.

The staff was helping him change into another outfit. The VCR was supposed to last 3 minutes and half so they had to be quick. _Still with you_ was the next song. Jungkook got rid of his white shirt and black vest. Hyesun was wiping his sweat and re-applying foundation on his face. He put on a light purple shirt and kept his black jeans and combat boots.

1 mn left so he put back his earpieces, let Hwang-Mi brush his bangs one last time and climbed on the platform.

He smiled when he watched the thousands of tiny lights created by the Army bomb. It was magical!

" Wembley, are you still with me?" He asked the crowd

The English fans started to chant his name. It gave him goosebumps ! No matter how tired he was, how tough this job was, performing on a legendary stage in front of 80 000 fans will always remain the best feeling ever. He would never get tired of this.

" **When will it be?**  
 **If I face you again**  
 **I will look into your eyes**  
 **And say I** **missed** **you"**

He closed his eyes and pictured Ji Eun's lovely face in his mind. He wanted to see her being happy so he imagined her smiling at him.

Ji Eun-ah, when will I see you and hold you in my arms again? He thought

" **Behind the** **faint** **smile** **that looked at me**  
 **I'm going to** **draw** **a beautiful** **purple**  
 **We may not be on the same page**  
 **But I want to walk this** **path** **with you**  
 **Still with you"**

Thousands of people sang with him. International fan's efforts to sing in korean still amazed him. It was very touching.   
He smiled at the purple sea in front of him, feeling comforted by the love and the positivity he received from ARMYs.

" Army, thank you so much, I purple you"

** Day 44 ** **\- Berlin**

His mind went through the things he was supposed to pack as they were leaving their hotel for Berlin Tegel airport. He got his passeport, his duffle bag, his phone and wallet, the gifts for Ji Eun and his family. His bluetooth speaker, earphones and phone charger were in his backpack. He hoped he didn't forget something.

The name of their hotel was leaked online two days ago so a group of fan waited day and night in front of the hotel and the parking. Jungkook stopped in his track when he realized what was written on the fan's sign.

**_" JK we love you, please leave IU_ ** **_. You_ ** **_deserve_ ** **_better."_ **

The bodyguards and some fans turned their heads to see what made him froze on the spot. The fans yelled at the girl who was holding the sign and tried to push her out of the way. He didn't understand what was said but the altercation between the fans turned violent.

" No, please, don't fight, jebal" he said but Sejin pushed him in the van.

"I'll stay behind to deal with it, go to the airport. Go, go" Sejin signaled the driver who immediately took off. The boys didn't even had the time to put their seatbelts.

"Gwenchana? " Hobi asked him

"I don't know" he truthfully replied. What the hell just happened? His heart beat rapidly, his hands trembled, his eyes were looking behind to see if the fight ended and if the fans got hurt. Why was he always the cause of problems?

 **Day** **55** **\- Rotterdam**  
Namjoon sat beside him in the plane and rubbed Jungkook's shoulders.

" Jungkook-ssi, you've been quiet lately. I'm worried about your mental state. Are you exhausted by the tour? Is it because you miss noona? Or because of that incident in Berlin?"

" It's a mix of many many things. I'm having a hard time dealing with all of it. I'm mentally and physically tired. Why does it have to be so complicated? Am I not allowed to be happy? " He cried. Jungkook wasn't sure if the leader understood what he was talking about but he needed to get it out of his chest.

Namjoon hugged him and let him cry on his shoulder.

** Day ** ** 63 ** **\- Barcelona**

" Hi baby, it's been a while since our last Facetime. How are you? "  
He missed her sweet smile.

" I had bad days but I feel better now. I'm happy to see your face. To me, you're the most beautiful when you're like this: natural smiling face, ready to go to bed." he complimented

" Aigo, you're cheesy again. Can you see my blush? The lighting is bad. My windows and the curtains are closed. It's 7 am in Seoul, I just woke up. What time is it in Barcelona ? "

" It's Zero o'clock here." He replied

" Remember your song, everything is new at zero o'clock. And you're gonna be happy my Kookie. I miss you so much. I'm not letting you out my sight when you'll be home. "

He chuckled, she looked so cute.

" Only 7 days left. Next week, you'll be in my arms. We survived almost three months so 7 days will pass quickly."

" Yeah, I can't wait. Have you been to the shop I recommanded? Did you buy the scrunchies? "

He rummaged through his backpack and showed her the colored scrunchies.

" My new scrunchies. Great !!! Thank you, jagiya you're the best."

" Anything for my girl" He winked and took off his shirt, pretending that the room temperature was just too hot so he needed less clothes to sleep properly. 

" Yah stop it, don't start being sexy!"

" I can do whatever I want and I love teasing you"

" I can't imagine what our reunion would look like. Your abs looks even more appealing now! Wae? Inna unnie and I raided a lingerie shop last week. I bought so many things. You'll love them." She proudly announced

" Jieun-ah, are you trying to drive me crazy? My imagination is running wild right now. We'll stay locked in your bedroom for days so I could show you how much I missed you."

" Enjoy the last days of your american and european tour, then come back home. Look, even Taebang is missing you. "   
Ji Eun showed him the elephant plushie and tried his hat.

" Taebang appa, ppalli ppalli, we're waiting for you at home."

In 7 years of career, this was the first time someone was impatiently waiting for him at home while he was on tour. He could easily imagine their future-selves, coming home after a business trip and greeting the other one.

If his imagination could go further: the kids would run to him the moment he'll come through the door, would hug his feet and yell "Welcome home appa".

One day I'm gonna marry you Lee Ji Eun. He promised in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
> 
> Video credits: elisssa on youtube for Still with you


	32. Chapter 32

_**@smileydoodle**_ don't know how many times I replayed the part where IU is laughing with Rosé. They both look stunning and so shy with each other.

@ ** _chaeyoungisbae_** Have you seen the end of the ceremony where all the artists were up on stage? Twice and Yeri were giggling while looking at Jungkook. And Nayeon's fangirling seemed to have reached another level when she looked at IU. Yeri, Wendy, Eunha also cried at the end of _From Lily with love._

 _ **@OliviaRM**_ Girls, can we get a boyfriend like Jungkook. Always at your service, nice, charming, good looking. Golden maknae became Golden boyfriend

 _ **@1DGD**_ I love how JK was nice enough to open everyone's bottle

 ** _@23Jaysen_** I'm dying to know what they were talking about. This might be the longest interaction we had until now between BTS and BP. At 4:08 Jungkook said something and Blackpink looked upset.

 _ **@LeeHani**_ OMG all my bias reunited !!! I live for this kind of content

 _ **@Kookuxolover**_ Liskook and Rosekook shippers: not found

 ** _@silverlining_** hahaha waiting for the edits and theories about JK cheating on IU with Blackpink members just because they exchanged words. Wait she was there the whole time so it might be theories about a threesome between RosexJKxIU

 ** _@PurpleSwan7_** can we please stop this shipping war? They all look like they're getting along well. Let's not ruin this and make it awkward for them.

 _ **@KenzaRah**_ remember how IU once said she wanted to sing with Rosé. Hope they will collaborate one day

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

** Asian Artist Awards - Nov. 2020- Singapore **

**_"We all reject out of hand the idea that the love of our life may be something light or weightless; we presume our love is what must be, that without it our life would no longer be the same_**." Ji Eun was reading out loud an extract of Milan Kundera's _The Unbearable Lightness of Being_ when her phone chirped, signaling the arrival of a new text.

She closed the book she started reading again (yes because she loved it) two hours ago when she couldn't find sleep. Her mind has been occupied or rather excited by the return of a certain someone. Said person who just sent her text.

" **Just landed in Singapore. The adrenaline wore off after the end of the european tour two days ago and now we're finally feeling the exhaustion. Just when I thought we'll be resting, they announced we got a fitting session for the ceremony this morning. I hate this schedule. The only good thing is I'll see you in 10 hours**!" (Kookie 🐰😍)

" **Finally ! My poor bunny. I know how it feels, it's been two months of non stop promotion for me too. Fighting my love! See you at AAA's rehearsal.** "

" **Yeah, can't wait. We're going straight to the hotel with the crew. It's 1 am and I'm dead on my feet**. **Gonna take a shower and then sleep**."

" **Good night, sleep well. Have some rest, you've worked hard! I'm proud of you.** "

She looked at the ceiling, then counted the lamps on the chandelier, trying hard to find sleep. Beauty sleep was important. The make up team will scold her if she ended up having dark circles before the award ceremony.

_⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐_

She arrived at Singapore Indoor Stadium at 12 am for the rehearsal. She had one song to do: _From Lily with love_ with Jungkook so it didn't require much preparation.  
It was just some adjustements on the stage (entrance, mics), tryouts with the lights and the background decor projected on the screen.

" Unnie !! IU unnie!" She turned towards the voices calling her. It was funny how they called her IU unnie but were not comfortable enough to call her Ji Eun unnie. 

" Oh Yerim-ssi, Nayeon-ssi ! Hello" she exclaimed, surprised to see the two girls running towards her

" Unnie we're so happy to see you! " Yeri of Red Velvet excitedly told her

" What songs are you performing tomorrow?" She asked them

" _Psycho_ and _More & more_" Nayeon of Twice replied

" Great, I can't wait to see your performances ! I love both songs." The two girls shrieked in delight which made Ji Eun laugh

" Unnie, we got something for you" Nayeon timidly said. She elbowed Yeri who seemed to snap out of her daze. The Red Velvet maknae handed her an eternal blue rose.

" From your two biggest fangirls !!" They said forming a heart over their heads with their hand. They were just too cute to handle.

" Owwww that's so sweet, it's beautiful. Thank you girls." Ji Eun hugged them which made them scream in excitement.

" Oh look there's Eunha from Gfriend. Eunha-ssi !! " Nayeon called the girl over. She approached but stopped when she recognized Ji Eun. Ji Eun didn't miss the frown on her face even if it was quickly replaced by a polite smile and a bow.

" Hello IU sunbaenim, Yerim-ssi, Nayeon-unnie. What are you all doing here in the hallway?"

" We just wanted to greet IU unnie, give her a gift and wish her good luck" Yeri explained

" What time slot did you get for the rehearsal ?" Ji Eun asked them with a smile.

" Red Velvet just finished and Twice is scheduled at 2 pm. I just came early to hang out with Red Velvet, Blackpink and Gfriend." Nayeon, the social butterfly, stated

" What about you?" Ji Eun turned to Eunha, who to be honest, she barely knew. The girl looked at her intensely like she was trying to figure something out of Ji Eun's face. Ji Eun felt self-conscious for a few seconds. Was something wrong with her face? She did her own make up this morning, nothing extravagant. She was pretty sure it looked okay.

Then they heard the main door open, followed by loud noises. They turned around and saw people entering with equipments and two bodyguards coming. Ji Eun's heartbeat increased when she realized it was BTS's staff.  
Jungkook was here, Jungkook was here ! Her minded repeated.

Her boyfriend came through the door, brown hair swept by the wind, clad in ripped jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt.

" Noona" he exclaimed when their eyes met across the hallway. He was finally here after all this time. The wait was over.

" Kookie-ah!" Ji Eun didn't think twice about her action and followed her instinct: she ran to him and jumped into his awaiting arms.

" I missed you so much" she cried in his shoulders. He hugged her tightly against him and she felt extraordinarly comforted by the gesture. She has longed for his rassuring warmth and presence for three months. This was the longest they've been away from each other.

" I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere for the next 4 weeks. I've dreamed of holding you again in my arms so many times. And now you're really here" He whispered into her hair. Jungkook still smelled like orchid and vanilla. The familiar scent reassured her.

Someone coughed behind them and she reluctantly let him go.  
She turned around a bit embarrassed by their public display of affection. Yeri and Nayeon were holding each other hands, jumping excitedly.

" This is better than watching kdramas and romantic movies" Nayeon squealed

" Ahh my romantic heart is screaming inside. Unnie, sunbae, I'm rooting for you two, you're the best couple! I wanna experience a love like that too one day." Yeri threw little cute hearts at them.

In normal circumstances, Ji Eun would have been embarrassed to be caught in this type of situation but she was distracted by Eunha's watery eyes and hurt expression.

" Excuse me, the members are waiting for me for lunch. See you later girls! Bye sunbaenim" Eunha said and then scurried away. The three younger idols seemed oblivious of the situation and just waved her goodbye.

" Ok I'll pass by Gfriend's dressing room later" Nayeon told her

" We'll leave you two alone" Yeri giggled and then the two girls went back excitedly into their dressing rooms, probably to tell their members what they just witnessed.

" Let's go to a more private place" Ji Eun took him to their shared dressing room. The moment the door closed, Jungkook grabbed her face in his hands and kissed her. She melted into the sensation, kissing him back passionately.

" It's been a while but this still feels the same" he whispered against her lips.

" I disagree, it tastes better now because I love you even more" she put the eternal rose on a nearby chair and crashed her lips on his, hands sneaking behind his neck to caress his hair. In that small moment Ji Eun felt entirely consumed by love.

" I'm happy they gave us two days off. There are many things I want to explore with you in Singapore." He announced with enthusiasm

" I hate how they make you believe having two days off when you've been working non stop for 70 days is a luxury." She frowned

" I know jagiya" he kissed her temple " Don't frown like that, it looks ugly on your face"

" Yah !" She feigned annoyance but deep down she missed their bickering.

_⭐_ _⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐_

Night had fallen a long time ago in Singapore. Despite what he said earlier about wanting to explore the Lion city, Ji Eun and Jungkook went straight to her hotel room after the rehearsal.

" Maybe it's because I was gone for a long time but you look prettier and healthier." He told her

She turned around, twisting the satin sheets in the process and looked at him.

" Jinjja? I look the same. You're just too starstruck by my godly beauty. Poor young mortal, ottoke? " She teased him

" Silly you! I'm gonna show you who's the real deity in this bed" he chuckled

Ji Eun laughed, letting her hands trail on his bare and muscular chest while he got rid of her red thong. She let him do as he pleased, giving up control over what was happening, allowing the pleasure to swallow her body and letting it vibrate from the sensation.

Milan Kundera was right when he wrote " _**Eroticism is like a dance: one always leads the other.**_ "

_⭐_ _⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐_

Ji Eun waved at the photographers and fans who shouted her name while she walked the long red carpet. She always felt awkward during those times as flashes and cameras captured every single moves.

Those events imposed a strict protocole: you have to stop twice at precise spots in front of the photographers, greet the organisation commitee, no phones allowed inside the building, then go to your assigned seat, call a security guard if you had to go backstage or to the bathroom.

An hostess guided her to her seat, next Blackpink, Lee Seung Gi and Itzy. They politely greeted each other. She looked around to see where BTS was supposed to seat. She spotted their name in the upper row behind her. At least they didn't put him on the other side of the room.

BTS arrived last, bowed to all the guests and sat next to TXT, Lee Sung Hoon and Chungha.  
The fan's screams were loud, she spotted hundred fancams trying to film their favorite idols.

She sighed when the ceremony officially began. There were set out for 4 hours of ceremony (commercial breaks included).  
Things went fine. Some categories had two winners.

She smiled when they announced Lee Ji Eun as the winner for Best Icon Award in the Actor category, along with Kim Soo Hyun.  
Everyone congratulated her, Jungkook gave her two thumbs up and the other BTS members clapped happily.

" Annyeonghaseyo, IU/Lee Ji Eun imnida. Most of you know me as a singer so I'm always surprised when I receive prizes for acting. Thank you, I'm really honored by this recognition. It feels even more greater and touching to stand here with my friend Kim Soo Hyun-ssi as we both came a long way from Dream High ten years ago. I want to thank the whole team from Hotel del Luna and Persona for giving me those opportunities and for guiding me during the filming process. I feel lucky to have worked with such professional and kind-hearted crew and actors. I promise I will continue working hard to bring to life more interesting characters. Thank you!"

She listened to Kim Soo Hyun's speech. Her long time friend also made a joke about her. An hostess kindly invited them to leave the stage as the ceremony continued.They posed for a quick picture before and promised to catch up with each other before Christmas.

She was on her way to join her seat when she heard BTS being announced as the winner for a Daesang Award. She looked in their direction and bowed to congratulate them.

BTS thanked Army first as usual and congratulated all the other groups, pointing out everyone's hard work this year.The boys made an inspirational speech about music and passion, about kindness to each other and how malicious comments were hurting the artists but also some fans.

She was thirsty but she struggled to open the damn water bottle.  
Rosé, who was seated beside her, offered to open it but she didn't succeed either.

" Did they put a seal on it ? I can't open mine too. Why is it so difficult to open the bottles? " The blonde haired idol complained

" They're low key trying to deshydrate us. Thanks for trying." Ji Eun chuckled

" I'm sorry I couldn't help you sunbae"  
Rosé was so pretty up close. She had a delicateness in her voice and an attitude that Ji Eun found charming.

" You know, I was serious when I said I wanted to collaborate with you. I love the tone of your voice, it's unique." Ji Eun complimented her

" Wow I'm so honoured! I admire you a lot. I would really love to do that but I don't know if YG would allow it."

" I heard they're preparing your solo debut"

" Yeah but it's very complicated. They keep reporting it for reasons I struggle to understand. I'm gonna talk to them about your proposal. " Rosé said then realized she just shared a sensitive information

" Okay, keep me updated"

" Of course, oh my god, I'm so excited. Thank you sunbae. I'll do my best." she bowed

BTS came back while they diffused commercials for the viewers.

" Jungkook-ssi!" Ji Eun called. Her boyfriend turned around and came towards her.

" It's been a while since you called me Jungkook-ssi. It sounds weird now "

" I can't call you Kookie or jagiya in public. What happened yesterday in the hallway was more than enough public embarrassment. Can you please open those bottles of water for us? It requires strength and we're so thirsty."

He took the bottles and tried twice to open them before succeeding.

" Thank you !! " Ji Eun gave a bottle to Rosé and asked her if the other Blackpink members also needed help. Jisoo, Lisa and Jennie gratefully thanked Ji Eun and Jungkook. Her boyfriend blushed, embarrassed by all the attention.

" We're supposed to go backstage in 20 minutes for preparation. A technical assistant said to me few minutes ago that they had an issue with the left platform after a group jumped too hard on it during their performance. " Jungkook told her

" Oh really? What are we going to do? You're supposed to appear on stage on that platform"

" They told me to go on stage directly from the sides when the lights are out."

" Argh I really hate last minute changes like that"

" I agree it's inconvenient but there's nothing to do about it now"

Jungkook also explained the problem to Blackpink. The 4 girls were set to perform _How you like that_ at the end of the ceremony and their performance would also be affected if that left platform didn't work.

" Oh no, that was Jennie's platform" Rosé panicked.

" They are trying to repair it, you're the last performers so it might work by your turn." Ji Eun tried to reassure them

" They will keep us updated" Jungkook added

They nodded but Ji Eun could see the concern in their faces. This is why those events are sometimes frustrating. They planned things beforehand, all did a good rehearsal yesterday and then they got unforeseen problems like this. Jungkook hurried to join the others when the commercial break ended.

 _⭐_ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Despite the technical problem, their performance went well. She missed singing with him. She loved the way he embodied the lyrics and made it emotional. Even if she was a more experienced artist, she still had a lot to learn from Jungkook. It was challenging, she liked it that way.

They hugged each other backstage when it was over and then went back to their seats until the ceremony was over.

 _⭐⭐⭐_ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marina Bay Sand's restaurant at the 55th floor was swarming with people when they entered.  
A waitress guided them to the VIP section and placed them in a table away from inquisitive eyes. She marveled at the impressive window bays that gave a beautiful view of Singapore at night.

" I should've dressed up if you told me we were going to a fancy restaurant. I look out of place " Ji Eun looked at her tracksuit and denim skirt.

" I wanted to surprise you. And you look great, no matter what you wear, you'll always be the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

He smiled at her.  
" Owww baby you're so sweet!! Come here" she said. He approached,expecting a kiss or a hug but she pinched his cheeks.

" But next time you'll give me a little warning ok? I promise I'm so dense sometimes it won't spoil the surprise"

" Arrasseo, now please leave my cheeks alone. They're suffering."  
She smiled and kissed his cheeks.

They caught up about all the things they missed and what they didn't have the time to say during their calls and facetimes.

Jungkook was enjoying his glass of wine. She thought he looked more mature in this angle. She took time to study his profile and wondered what he would look like in 10 or 20 years. Would their relationship be different once they got married? What kind of change does kids bring to a couple?

" You know this reminds me of our first date."

" I was so nervous that day." He admitted

" Jeongmal? It didn't look like that to me. You asked me on a date first" she reminded him

" I wrote that letter 7 times before sending it to you. I just needed the courage to ask you out. A little talk with the boys also helped me to get more confident. Did you know the guys placed a bet during our date ?"

Ji Eun laughed, not at all surprised by this information. BTS members loved to tease and play against each other.

" You went a little overboard for a first date but I appreciated your effort. I'm glad you kissed me first. I was too shy to try anything like that. And here we are!"

She was beyond happy, thanks to him.

" Why does it feel like we've known each other for a long time? " she wondered out loud

" Don't know" he shrugged

" Are you close with Gfriend?" She asked out of blue when she suddenly remembered Eunha's reaction. It was clear the girl had a thing for Jungkook (and she honestly couldn't blame her). Ji Eun wasn't jealous. Her boyfriend really seemed oblivious and uninterested but she was still curious to know if he was close with female idols.

" Not really. Big Hit bought their label but we don't interact that much. We don't do dinner companies or meet each other often. We all try to be supportive because they are the only girlgroup in the label."

Now that she thought about it, Big Hit only had boygroups and a male solo artist. She urged Jungkook to explain and he said the trainees are exclusively male. Big Hit once debuted a girlgroup named Glam before BTS and they disbanded due to controverses: members blackmailing Lee Byung Hyun, a rumor about a member being an Idol sasaeng.

" I remember that case a few years ago. I didn't know they were under Big Hit."

Ji Eun's phone chirped. It was a text from Hanteo.

 **"** **The** **IT sasaeng fan who was part of the threats group got a fine and 1 year probation**. **He** **refused** **to give the** **names** **of his** **accomplices** **.** **One** **suspect** **fled** **in her** **homecountry** **before they could** **arrest** **her.** **There's** **one left but they are still looking for clues** **about her/his identity. I'm sorry."**

"Jieun-ah, something's wrong? " Jungkook asked her, very concerned

" There's something we haven't told you. You were already very stressed by the tour so we thought it would be best to not give you more anxious news ." She sighed. Better tell him now.

" What is this about?"

" The agencies received other letters with the silver and black enveloppe. They...they sent a poisonous cake decorated with broken glasses to Edam's office and then other threatning messages and stolen pictures to our agencies." She informed him. Her heart ached when she saw Jungkook's face crumbled.

Part of her wanted to protect him undefinitely from the truth. But they owed him the truth. Nothing good will come from lies and omissions. Another part also wanted to share the burden. She still had nightmares about it, the fear was present in her mind and her selfish side longed for comfort and reassurance. She wanted him to hold her in his arms and say this nightmare will pass, that he will keep the monsters away from them.

" What?" His voice trembled. Ji Eun took his hand, was about to tell him everything will be fine but the words died in her throat. Jungkook's expression shifted to a hard glare and he clenched his fists. This was the first time she saw him like this. She could almost feel the anger rising within him.

" So this wasn't just an empty threat. They took actions to threaten your life...Who do they think they are? I am not their property. Crazy people who called themselves fans are making our lives miserable since our debut. I'm so fucking done with their bullshits." 

She remained silent, not wanting to fuel his fire. She caressed his hand, hoping it would sooth him a little bit and help him to calm down. At least he didn't keep his rage to himself. It wasn't good to let emotions boil inside.

" I'm sorry I ruined the mood. You planned a nice date for both of us. Let's finish the delicious meal." She took a bite of her steak. 

" I'm the one who's sorry. You're getting all this hate and problems because of me." He looked away from her. 

She understood how he felt: those problems were present because she was dating him. Things didn't went that far when she dated Jang Kiha. It pained her to see him feel guilty and hurt over things that weren't his fault. Jungkook was always full of good intentions, sometimes things just backfired on him. If only those crazy fans left them alone. 

After a time, she said: " I love you with all my heart and that's the only thing that matters. Okay ?" 

That was the truth. She will fight tooth and nail for their happiness because their love was worth every single effort.

He finally turned his head towards her, tried to smile but it didn't reach his eyes. 


	33. Mic Drop

**Mnet Asian Music Awards, Seoul, 04 Dec.20**

The members were rehearsing their solo segments with the dancers and the freshly constructed decor for MAMA 2020. They repeated _Black Swan_ and a medley of _Mic_ _Drop/On_ during three days for MAMA. Today was the last rehearsal directly at Gocheok Sky Dome. Seoul was chosen as the hosting city after the big debates last year about Nagoya. Hong Kong was left out due to its current political situation.

There was a huge fight between various labels and Mnet (and therefore CJ&EM) as they claimed BTS was given too much spotlight and performance time during the ceremony (which was true in Jungkook's opinion). They performed for more than 30 minutes last year (thrice the time given to other artists). Yes ,their performance was spectacular but they nearly collapsed from exhaustion at the end. He didn't mind at all giving time for other groups and artists to shine. BTS got nothing more to prove anyway so the boys were all secretly glad to just perform for 15 minutes.

Big Hit's management however was fuming. The tension almost jeopardized the future of I-land the new survival show created by Mnet and Big Hit.

He took his seat beside his members just before the ceremony began. He greeted back his seatmates : Seventeen, Lee Hi and Baekhyun. Rain, Yoo Jae Suk and Lee Hyori were seated behind them, along with SF9, Chungha, Sunmi and Astro.

Ji Eun was opening the ceremony with her new song _Into the I-land,_ produced by Bang Si-Hyuk. Due to the evolution of their relationship, their agencies thought it would be best to postpone the collaboration between IU and BTS. The original contract was about two songs: a ballad with him for her album and then a pop song with IUxBTS for their album. They renegociated the contract and Ji Eun ended up gaining a song produced by Yoongi and featuring him for her album, in exchange of her voice for the I-land opening theme.

She was singing from a platform above the stage, decorated like a jungle while the trainees from the show were dancing on stage. His head bobbed from side to side to the song. Even if he wanted from time to time to watch the trainee's performance, his eyes reverted back instinctively to his girlfriend.

He was amazed by her ability to sing all types of song thanks to her impressive vocal control. He put a note in his head to ask her to train him so he could improve too.

There was a 2mn introduction video showing her evolution from _Lost child_ when she was 15 to all her age-related songs ( _Twenty-three, Palette)_. The decor turned into a green and orange island. Ji Eun started singing _Eight_ and Jungkook clapped in delight. The 6 Bangtan Boys got up and danced when the chorus came and when Yoongi did the rap part. He knew part of the song was about her old and new self, about her deceased friends, about him too. He remembered how they watched the sunset, then danced in the dark, with no shadow in front of her parents' house.

The ceremony went on for an hour. They unfortunately placed Ji Eun on the other side of the stage. He could barely see her face but she was the only one wearing a red dress in that section. She was with Red Velved, Somi, Itzy, TXT, Momoland and Iz-One.

NCT 127 won Best male group and Jungkook cheered loudly for his friends. Oh My Girl took the Best Female group prize. Seunghee's reaction was priceless, it made everyone laugh. Red Velvet went home with the Best dance performance by a Female group for _Psycho_. The side stage floor was apparently a bit slippery because Joy almost fell on her way to the stage.

Hwasa was named Best Female Artist thanks to her solo album _Maria_.

He turned around to see if he heard it right when they announced _From Lily with love_ by Jungkook and IU as the winner of Best collaboration. Jimin and Hobi cheered loudly and Taehyung shook his shoulders. Did they just won? WOW!

"Come on, go there. They are waiting for you !" Namjoon encouraged him.

Jungkook got up and went to the main stage. BTS was thankfully placed closer to the stage this year, maybe because they were expected to win a lot of awards and it was to gain time. Well he didn't know exactly. Ji Eun who was seated farther tried to walk quickly to get to the stage. It was like a slow-motion scene when he saw her right foot wobble and slip on the floor. He ran towards her to catch her but he was too late. She already fell on her knees.

"Gwenchana?" he crouched beside her and then helped her get up.

"Yeah, just mortified to be caught by so many cameras." She laughed while smoothing back her red dress.

"Grab my arm and lean on it, it seems the side stage floor is quite slippery." He told her. She linked their arms, a bit embarrassed by all the fan's screams and for falling in front of so many eyes.

Lee Teuk from Superjunior gave them the award. This was the first time he received a prize for his own musical work and not with BTS. As a gentleman, he let her talk first.

" Well it would be an understatement to say it's been an incredible year. Thank you to all the fans who voted for _From Lily with love._ Maybe all the artists present here can relate but we're always wondering what can we do to make better music and how can we improve ourselves. This time, we wanted to share deep feelings through a song. And as we deliver it to the public, I worry a lot about the way it will be perceived. So I'm always humbled and very happy when I hear people say they were touched by the lyrics and the melodies. Thank you for reminding me why I do this job and why it still makes sense to me. This song won't exist without Kim Eana, Kim Hee Won and the musician's amazing work so I wanted to thank them. And the last but not the least, Jungkook-ssi thank you for being my partner in crime in everything, for giving your all to this song. You never believe me when I say it but I admire and respect very much your dedication to music and I learn a lot from you. "

He chuckled when he heard the last part. His eyes brimmed with tears from all the emotions he felt inside. This award, this song, his career, being here with the girl he loved since he was 12, everything felt connected.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit overwhelmed, I...thank you Armys and Uaenas for your support. It sincerely means a lot to us. I also wanted to express my gratitude for everyone's contribution for this song and for the MV. I...If someone told me 7 years ago that I will be standing here receiving an award for a song with IU sunbaenim, I would have never believed that person. But here I am! This year has been the happiest for me for so many reasons." He smiled at Ji Eun who smiled back at him.

" And I'm still thanking my lucky stars for every single thing this life brought me. To those who like me had dreams, don't give up, have faith and work hard for it. I promise it will be worth it." He finished

They bowed, he offered his arm and accompanied her back in her seat before joining his group members.

Ji Eun later went back on stage to receive the award for Best solo vocal performance thanks to _Eight_. She took very careful steps and made a joke about getting safely to the stage in her speech. She thanked Yoongi and promised to work harder for her fans.

He watched the other performances and particularly loved _Leo_ by Bol4 and Baekhyun. Stray Kids and Ateez also made very good performances, he loved the dance breaks. TXT sang _Can't you see me_ and _Puma_. Their juniors did well and he was proud.

There was a 4th commercial break and he sighed in relief. Time was passing by slowly. Someone taped on his shoulders and he turned around to see Lee Hyori.

" Hello Hyori sunbaenim. How are you? " It was their first encounter in person, even if he texted her once to thank her for lending them her house a few months ago and when she replied after receiving his gift.

" You and Ji Eun were so cute on stage! You can go back to Incheon anytime you want. You're welcomed to our house!" she said. She looked less intimidating when she smiled like that.

"Thank you sunbae, that's really kind of you" He bowed then took a gulp of water.

"I'll even convince Sang Soon oppa to leave the house from time to time so you two could have fun in the hot tub." She winked at him. Jungkook almost spat out the water in his mouth and coughed. Yoongi helped him by patting his back.

"Sunbae, I'm not sure what you're talking about" he played dumb but it was the wrong method.

"Anyo, you can drop the honorifics and call me noona. Ji Eun is like a younger sibling to me so you're like a brother-in -law in my eyes. And you're not fooling anyone. I won't believe that a young couple stayed alone in our house for three days and did nothing. If you two need time alone, away from all these crazy things in Seoul, just tell me and we'll give you the house for as long as you need."

Rain, who sat next to her and apparently heard everything, couldn't hold any longer his laughter. Jungkook's cheeks flushed and he managed to say thank you to Hyori for her offer and turned around very embarrassed. He was sure Ji Eun would laugh at him if he told her how "Savage Lee Hyori" (an affectionate term according to Ji Eun) almost managed to make him choke on water at MAMA. 

🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤

The funny thing was BTS and IU were nominated for the four biggest prizes of the night (Daesang). Twice took the Worlwide Icon of the year award. He discreetly glanced at Jimin to see his reaction. His hyung had a straight face and made a polite bow even to Jeongyeon when the 9 girls went on stage.

Blackpink was announced as the Artist of the year. He was happy for the girls who worked hard to finally have their first full album. It must have been frustrating as an artist to not be able to release new music. Best vocal performance by a group went to Mamamoo. They gave other prizes and in the end it was like every artist who attented went home at least with one prize.

Jungkook wasn't surprised when _Any Song_ by Zico won Song of the year. It was the big favorite for that category along with _Eight, Psycho, On_ and _Nonstop_.

 _Map of the soul - 7_ won the Daesang for Album of the year. The 7 of them felt grateful for the recognition of their work. He was surprised when the host said it was the bestselling album in the world in 2020. It was insane! Namjoon and Jimin thanked the fans and BTS staff. They promised to continue promoting korean culture and music worldwide.

Despite his joy, Jungkook wondered if Armys would be disappointed that they only won one award (even it was a Daesang), compared to their 4 all-kill last year. He checked the votes once in a while, saw Army's devotion and effort to make them win.

However everyone here knew MAMA was not the most transparent award show. Things were much more complicated than they let people know. He remembered GDragon's iconic diss track about MAMA during the ceremony in 2014. He was sad for Ji Eun who didn't get a Daesang even if she was nominated for all the categories. 

He went backstage with the boys and got ready to close the ceremony with _Black Swan_ and _Mic_ _Drop/On_. 

_🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤_

They celebrated Jin's birthday and their win in a barbecue restaurant nearby. Much to his delight, Ji Eun joined them.

Jungkook grilled meat for both of them, then put it on her plate.

" Thank you ! My favorite part of your performance was when you said _**Another trophy, my hands carry 'em. Too many that I can't even count**_ _ **'em**_ _ **.**_ That was so freaking cool!! I wish I had enough confidence and swag to deliver that kind of punchline." She told them

" Aren't you a bit disappointed for the Daesang?" He asked her

" Not really, we know MAMA is highly politicized. And we won our first award together so I'm really happy. There's other occasion for me to win a Grand Prize. I'm nominated for all the Daesang categories in MMA and GDA." She smiled

" Wow that's really awesome!"

" Why are you impressed? You're nominated for most of them too." she laughed and then gave him her pickled radish.

" I forgot..." He rubbed his flushed neck

" Here have some fish and lentils. I heard it helps to boost memory." She was still laughing. There was something beautiful about the way she laughed and the wrinkles in her eye-smile.

" JK-ya! Please close your mouth and don't stare at noona with a dumb expression like that. We know you're in love but this is simply embarrassing. If someone asks me, I don't know this guy." Taehyung teased him.

The room erupted in laughter, Jimin even fell from his chair. Jungkook stole meat from Taehyung's plate in revenge and stuck his tongue at his hyung.

They all ended up having a great time together.


	34. Your eyes tell

**J** **eju** **Island, 15** **Dec** **.20**

Three blissful days in Jeju-do with Ji Eun and their families was exactly what he needed after the Map of Soul tour part1 and the award season.

There was a small moment of awkwardness the first day after Ji Eun and Jungkook instinctively put their suitcases in the same bedroom. Ji Eun's father said nothing when he noticed but his lingering gaze made Jungkook uncomfortable. Should they stay in separate bedrooms? Just for their parents' sake.

Ji Eun seemed unfazed by the situation, claiming her parents weren't blind about the physical aspect of their relationship. He spied his brother and sighed in relief when he saw Jung Hyun share the room with his girlfriend.

They had fun the two days by visiting popular spots on Jeju. Their parents went to Jeju Folk Village Museum and the 4 youths pretented to go the Teddy Bear Museum but went secretly to Loveland, a sex-themed park filled with one hundred funny erotic sculptures. They giggled like teenagers caught watching censored content when they came home and lied about their afternoon. 

They were all getting along pretty well. Ji Eun became close with his mother and Hye Sun who was the same age as her. Their dads were like bestfriends now. They even tried paragliding: Ji Eun screamed during the whole flight while he had the time of his life. 

The second day they swam in the cold water of Cheonjeyeon Waterfall and went on a hike on Mount Hallasan. Jungkook and Ji Eun went home early due to her accident.

_🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍_

"Jieun-ssi are you sure you're capable of cooking in your condition? " his mother voiced her concern. They were preparing dinner all together in the house they rented. He also noticed her struggle but his girlfriend was stubborn and insisted to help in the kitchen. 

Ji Eun cellphone rang and she took the call.

"Hi Ilsu-oppa, how are you? I'll put you on the speaker, eomma and appa are also here."

"Jieunie, halmeoni has been crying for 10 minutes and wanted to call you." Her cousin informed them

Everyone stopped what they were doing. Ji Eun's voice trembled when she asked what was wrong. Jungkook was aware her grandmother had health issues. He hoped she was well.

"Halmeoni, what's wrong?"

"Jingni, why didn't you tell me first? Why did I have to hear it from other people? " her grandmother sobbed on the phone. Jungkook wasn't exactly used to hear old people cry so it crushed his heart to hear her sobs. Ji Eun's mother was trembling beside her. 

"Halmeoni, what are you talking about? Are you okay? Did something happen? " Ji Eun panicked

" I was preparing kimchi as usual with the neighbor when she told me she just saw on her phone and on the news you were pregnant." 

"WHAT????" several voices exclaimed in the house. The glass slipped from Jungkook's hand and shattered on the floor. 

" The neighbor was so shocked that my own grandchild didn't tell me she was pregnant." 

"Me ? Pregnant? What the hell? No halmeoni I'm not pregnant. Where did that rumor come from? " Ji Eun's voice rose in anger. 

"I told myself I should be overjoyed by the news but my heart really ached when I heard it from her mouth and not yours. Then I thought you shouldn't raise a kid out of wedlock and then I felt guilty for feeling that way. Wait... you're not having a baby? " Halmeoni's cries intensified on the phone. Jungkook stared helplessly as Ji Eun was fighting not to cry. They knew it was a sensitive issue for her grandmother. He couldn't tell if the matriarch of the family was relieved or disappointed. 

"Of course not, and if I was, you would be the first to know. I would have never let you find it out like this. Do you think I could do that to you? Why did you believe them? You know people make up all kind of lies about our life."

" I'm sorry Jingni, I should have known you would tell me. I....I'm sorry for believing them."

" Mianhe, halmeoni please don't cry, please. Where did you hear those things?" Ji Eun was know fully crying. He came beside her and rubbed her shoulders.  


"The neighbor showed me the articles and the photos. You and Jungkook were leaving a clinic in Jeju and you were holding your tummy." Her grandmother explained. Fuck, so this was what it was about.

" We hiked Mount Hallasan today and I unfortunately slipped from a rock and twisted my left wrist. Jungkook and I went to the clinic to bandage my hand and get painkillers. I was holding my injured hand over my tummy because it hurt. " Ji Eun explained

" Some people wrote really nasty things about you and our family. And I was so mad! Why are they saying bad things about my sweet grandchild? One person even wrote they wished you and your baby would die. Don't they have no shame and conscience? My poor child, you don't deserve this, you're such an angel. Why can't they see that? " Her grandmother continued crying.   
Jungkook's mind was left in shambles. He didn't realized he was also crying.

Jung Hyun approached with his smartphone and showed them one of the article he just found on the internet.

" Probably not what Ji Eun's grandmother read but there are at least 4 or 5 similar articles." His brother told them

**"** **_Fans spotted IU and BTS's Jungkook leaving a private clinic in Jeju today._ ** **_According to close sources, the two superstars are_ ** **_expecting_ ** **_a child for the beginning of summer and are very excited by this good news._ **

**_Jungkook and IU confirmed their relationship through a joint live on SNS a few months ago. Their romance started 10 months ago as they got closer through a musical collaboration. Congratulations to the young couple_ ** **!"**

Comments

**@trivialmatterz** Lee Jigeum + Golden maknae = golden baby, I hope their child will inherit their talents and good looks

 **@whodatB** Damn that was fast, can't believe he already knocked her up. Bunny couple living up to their nickname lol. This is why you should never trust an idol's innocent image. They might be sex addicts, you never know.

 **@loveyou3000** OMMMGGGGG I'm wheezing , can't believe this! BTS first baby ! Daebak ! And from the youngest of the group!! 

**@yongpil60** Having kids out of wedlock is now a common thing for idols? Korean society is slowly losing its value. We didn't do things like this in our time. What kind of education did those kids receive? What are they parents doing? I knew that Bangtan boy was trouble, with his tattoos and ripped jeans. Now he's ruining IU's career and image too. 

**@parkminwoo** this is simply a rumour, their agencies nor them confirmed it, why is everyone already jumping to conclusion? 

**@7bihan** if he's going around like this, he should just leave the group already. Jungkook is always bringing bad lights to the group. 

**@jnhyte** Hey **@7bihan** I don't see why he should leave BTS just because he's gonna be a dad. He can do whatever he wants in his private life. If you're a true fan, be happy for him. 

**@Iusedtoknowher** He said on Ellen's show IU was the one for him. I didn't expect them to start a family this soon but if this is true then it's a great news!!!! They will be awesome parents. Lucky kid. Wanna see BTS as spoiling and loving uncles and Suzy, Inna and Jiyeon as aunties :)

_🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍_

The articles and the comments left him speechless. Why would they fabricate lies like this? He faced lot of false rumors over the years but this one hurt more.

He sat on the floor too dumbfounded by the way things escalated quickly. He cried out in pain when his palm accidently pressed on the broken glasses on the floor. He got another bad feeling, the same when Ji Eun hurt herself with the broken mirror during his birthday. His brother helped him get the tiny pieces out of his palm and bandage it. 

Ji Eun's mother silently stroked her daugther's hair and tried to calm her down after the phone call. Her cousin Ilsu promised to look after their grandmother. He assured them she was now less distraught compared to half an hour ago. 

Jungkook was still burning with rage against those baseless rumors and the way it hurt their families. He desperately needed to do boxing drills and punch a bag to get this frustration out of his system. 

" Son, just try to breathe in and out ok? " Ji Eun's father told him

"I'm sorry for dragging you daughter's name and your family into this mess." he got on his knees and bowed, tears spilling on the floor. Her father crouched on his level and patted his shoulder. 

"You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault. I know how much you love our Jieunie and how you try hard to make her happy. We can't control the things people say. I'm mad at them for fabricating lies and spreading hate, not at both of you. "

His own father came to the kitchen and helped him get on his feet. Despite what they all said, his heart still felt heavy. 

"You should call your managers and clear this false rumor rapidly." His dad told them

He slowly approached Ji Eun and dried her tears with his sleeves. They went to their bedroom to attend a joint online meeting with Edam and Big Hit.

One hour later their agencies posted a statement online and send it to the media.

**_" This is Big Hit Entertainment and Edam Entertainment. We firmly stress that the rumors being spread this afternoon via SNS regarding BTS member Jungkook and IU are absolutely false._ **

**_It is true that Jungkook and IU went to a private clinic in Jeju on the 15th of december. However, it was to seek treatment for IU's injured hand after an outdoor activity with their families. No other treatment was sought in this clinic and our artists as well as their families were hurt and upset by the false rumor and the photos taken during their private time._ ** **_We collected all evidence since the post was uploaded. Our legal team will fill a lawsuit against all the people involved in spreading false informations and all the medias who relayed it. An investigation is also on-going against malicious comments and threats. There will be no settlement or leniency as we will do our best to protect our artists."_ **

_🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍_

Ji Eun refused to eat and just stared silently at the wall in front their bed. Things were quiet at home after that episode and they all went to bed early.   
He received several texts from his friends concerning the rumor. Yoongi and Hobi tried to call him but he wasn't in the mood to talk.

" Jieun-ah..." He touched her arm but she was still unresponsive.

" Jagiya...please look at me" he tried again

When she finally turned around, he was struck by the sadness in her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes, now filled with tears, told things his heart wasn't ready to acknowledge.

" I'm used to deal with false rumors. They can hate me, insult me, tell lies about me all they want, I might get mad or be slightly hurt but I can handle it because I'm strong enough. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't even have given a damn about this whole thing and just pressed charges. I can take a lot of things but they hurt our families in the process and that is unacceptable. I won't rest until those people will pay for their lies. Halmeoni never cried like that, never and it broke my heart that I was unintentionally the reason she felt that way. Why don't they just leave us alone? "

" All I want is to make you happy and I know I'm a lacking boyfriend, I'm sorry Jieun-ah. I really don't know how to protect us from all the negativity surrounding our status." He admitted, completely defeated.

He held her in his arms as they both cried.   
" I love you, I love you so freaking much. I hope it's enough." He whispered in her hair.

That night he dreamed again of the monsters chasing him. This time he understood who Jonghyun was warning him about.

 _🤍🤍🤍🤍_ 🤍🤍

" **Why are my eyes filled with tears? Hey, stay by my side and laugh** ** _._**

**A future without you is a world without colour, filled with monochrome** **coldness** **.**

**Shadows of the past keep on chasing me but the more I try to escape and struggle, the more it** **follows** **. But I still want to hold onto it, wherever you are I'll find you, to a tomorrow of us.** **"**

_🤍🤍🤍🤍_ 🤍🤍

** SBS Gayo Daejeon, 25 Dec.20 **

SBS Gayo Daejeon took an interesting artistic road this year by dividing the performances in 4 sections corresponding to a season: winter, spring, summer and autumn. Ji Eun was on stage with High4 to sing _Not spring, love or cherry blossoms_. Her performance was followed by _Spring_ by 2ne1's Bom and Sandara. Then he went on stage with his group to sing _Spring_ _Day_. Taehyung was so happy to sing _Winter_ _Bear_ for the winter section. His favorite performance was Zico and Rain's _Summer Hate_ , it was funny and entertaining.

Ji Eun was getting changed when he entered her dressing room after the show.

"Hi baby, congratulations for your performance and Merry Christmas! " Jungkook handed her the bouquet of lilies he prepared specially for her.

"What is this? Omo! Thank you my love. You shouldn't have! Jeon Jungkook you're spoiling me too much." Her comment made him laugh. She kissed him, he snuck his hands behind her waist and kissed her back.

A knock interrupted them, he let her go and sat in the sofa. Ji Eun opened the door but didn't let the person in.

"IU-ssi, I'm sorry to interrupt, I'm just delivering the SBS Christmas drink for all the artists." Someone said

"Oh that's new! Thank you! What's in this? " Ji Eun asked her while she took off the extension in her hair with her non-injured hand.

"It's a cocktail made with cranberries. It's really delicious and we made it in consideration of every artist's effort today." the staff responded

"That's nice, sorry, my hands are occupied, can you please put it on the table ?" Ji Eun told her.

A very young woman, wearing a staff shirt and holding a bottle entered the room.

"Oh my God! " she jumped in surprise when she spotted him on the sofa.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" Jungkook said to the young woman. She was looking at him with big eyes, frozen in her spot. Jungkook felt a bit nervous: staffs in award shows or broadcast shows were not supposed to lose their composure in front of the artists, it was written in their contracts. But she looked like a newbie so he didn't really mind.

"I'll take it, thank you, good work!" Ji Eun interrupted the moment, took the beverage from the staff's hands and lead her to the door. They both laughed when she closed the door.

" Ok, see I told you should hide your gorgeous face with a mask, you leave everyone in daze even the staff!" Ji Eun teased him.

"Very funny" he replied with a deadpan expression. "Do you want some?"

"Nope, I hate cranberries, it's too sour. I just wanted to be polite and accepted it." Ji Eun told him

He never ate cranberries so he took a glass from the cupboard and tasted the red Christmas drink.

"You're right, it's really sour. I don't like it."

"Told you so! I prepared all your favorite dishes for our Christmas dinner tonight" She announced proudly

"Can I have you for dessert?" he smirked

" Naughty boy, if you behave well, I might give you another present." she approached him with a big smile.

" Looks like you're the one spoiling me" he pinched her nose then kissed her lips. Someone knocked on the door again but this time they ignored it, too lost in their kisses.

" Let's go home then!"

He got up from his seat to follow her but a heavy pressure in his head made him stumble backwards.

"Jagi, are you okay?"

"Yeah just a vertigo"

He started to cough, then it became rapidly consistent coughs, as if he was struggling to breathe correctly. It was like the oxygen couldn't get properly into his lungs.

" Kookie-ah, your face is pale blue, you're not well. I'm calling for help" he watched her run to the door, heard her screaming for help in the hallways.

He felt dizzy, the room spun so he gripped whatever his hands could get to be steady. Before he knew it, his body dropped on the floor.

" Nooo oppa, what have you done??" An unfamiliar feminine voice shrieked. He looked in her direction, standing at the open door and recognized the staff who gave them the drinks earlier.

" JK-ya! " Taehyung called him when they all stumbled into the dressing room after hearing Ji Eun's cry of help. His hyungs, Sejin and Hobeom transported him on the sofa.

"My...my lungs.. heart... hurts" Jungkook managed to say when he regained some air. His vision was blurry, it hurt so he closed his eyes. People panicked around him and the sounds became a cacophony in his head.

"Call an ambulance right away. This isn't normal. Hurry up" Hobeom yelled 

" Jungkook-ssi, please wake up! Bring me an oxygen respirator " That was Sejin's voice

" What's wrong with him? Jagiya, wake up" Ji Eun shook his shoulders. Why did this scene look familiar? An odd sensation got through him, as if he was reliving something he already experienced.

"Oppa, mianhe, mianhe, she was supposed to drink it, not you. Oppa, noooo, don't die, please! What have I done? I tried to stop it, I knocked but no one asnwered. No, no, no. It wasn't supposed to go like this." the unknown staff yelled behind them.

" What is she talking about? " He heard Sejin say but the voices around him became more distant.

It all made sense now: the foreboding feelings that lingered the last months everytime he saw broken glasses, the threats, the sense of déjà vu and mostly the dreams. The monsters kept chasing him, he tried to escape but they got him in the end. Jonghyun told him to be careful but he didn't listen enough. And like a naive fool, he drank that glass of red juice, undoubtly a poisoned beverage one of his crazy fan created to get rid of Ji Eun. How ironic life was? They were probably laughing at him from above. His tattoo said: " I'd rather be dead than cool". This wasn't exactly what he meant for his life. It was just too soon.

He was so young but he had at least a good life: he lived off of his passion, felt the love and support of million fans, assured a comfortable life for his parents, visited so many countries, performed in the greatest stadiums and stages in the world, met his idols, fell in love and was loved back by the girl of his dreams.

There were still important things he wanted to live and accomplish, but he felt satisfied in a way when he thought about his life. Maybe there was a limit to the good things one could experience. Death was less scary when he put his mind at ease.

His respiration sagged and his body started to spasm. It hurt, everything hurt but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Oh my God, he's having a seizure, help, help! Where the hell are the medics? " He heard shouts and people crying around him.

"Kookie-ah, Kookie-ah" Ji Eun cried next to him, holding his feverish head. He gathered his last force to look at her. Her beautiful eyes, that he spent so much time marveling at, were looking at him with so much panic and sadness. A flood of tears purified her face. If this was the last time he would see her face, he didn't want to see her tears.

 _'Why are your eyes crying? I'm glad it was me and not you. Mianhe eomma, appa, Jung Hyun, Joonie, Seokjinie, Yoongi, Hobi, Tae and Jiminie. Mianhe Jieun-ah'_ was his last thought before he succumbed to the darkness.

 _🤍🤍🤍🤍_ 🤍🤍

**" Even it seems to be the beginning of the end, I'll call your name.**

**The gazing eyes are so colorful, I'll give my everything to you**

**You taught me t** **hat someday the sadness will wind us together.**

**Your eyes, they tell."**

_🤍🤍🤍🤍_ 🤍🤍


	35. Ending scene

Chaos broke out in the dressing room, Ji Eun watched as Jungkook's breath slowed down and his eyes closed. This was without doubt the scariest moment of her life. She felt her heart stop for one second, terrified by the prospect of losing him.

" Jungkook-ssi, please stay awake. Jieun-ssi, what happened?" Sejin's panicked eyes looked at her. The medics finally arrived and checked Jungkook's pulse.

His head was still in her lap, his face and hair were covered in sweat as they put a bigger respirator on his face.

" He was fine, hmm...we were talking about random things...and then he got up, had vertigo and started coughing..." Her eyes landed on the glass, with a rest of red liquid in it. Jungkook didn't drink the whole thing.   
The words spoken earlier by the staff while they all tried to help Jungkook came back into her mind. When she realized what just happened, she saw red. Anger ran through every muscle and cells inside her body.

" He's still breathing, his pupils are dilated but they reacted to the light. His heartbeat is dangerously fast. We need to take him to the nearest hospital."

The medics transfered Jungkook's body to the stretcher. As soon as she was free, she jumped from the couch and launched herself on the staff's body, making them both stumble on the ground. 

" What the hell have you done? Tell me !" She squeezed the girl's throat. Ji Eun felt delirious, the rage she experienced was so strong. The girl looked at her with fear in her eyes, choking and trying to remove Ji Eun's hand.

" Noona!!" "Jieun-ssi!! Stop" Jimin and Jin hauled her up to get her off the girl's body.

" It's that bitch's fault. What did you put in the drink ?" Ji Eun yelled in anger, still trying to get out of Jin's hold.

" Cy..cyanide" the girl whimpered. They all froze and turned their heads toward the staff. Cyanide was known as a potentially lethal poison. Ji Eun read Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie a few years ago, it was a murder-solving novel where a protagonist died by drinking a glass of champagne with cyanide. She trembled with rage: this was an attempted murder.

" We'll take him to Guro Hospital. Changwoo-ssi call them to prepare right away an intravenous with thiosulfate sodium and hydroxycobalamin. We'll be there in 10 minutes. " the older medic told his colleague as they took Jungkook away, followed by Sejin, Namjoon and two bodyguards.

" Let me go!!" She told Jin and Jimin who were still holding her back from jumping at the girl's throat.

" If Jungkook doesn't make it, I swear I'll drag you to hell with me." Ji Eun lashed out to the girl.

Her body couldn't take it anymore and she sagged in Jin and Jimin's arms, tears still streaming down her face. Jimin put her delicately on the sofa next to Hobi, Yoongi and Taehyung who were a crying mess. Two security agents took the girl out. Hobeom was calling Big Hit and SBS's Gayo management team to sort this out.

She just stared blankly at the boys who seemed absolutely terrified for Jungkook. Taehyung and Jimin had a hard time breathing due to their heavy sobs. She put her head on Jin's shoulder, tried to have faith that Jungkook will be fine but the image of his eyes closing after looking intensely at her was engraved in her mind. His eyes told many things : I love you, I'm sorry, Don't worry, Please forgive me.

What would her life be without him? This wasn't fair, he was so young. They still had so many things to experience together. This couldn't be the end. No, it wasn't fair. Where was her happy ending? Jungkook would be such a great husband and an amazing dad. They couldn't just rob him of those possibilities. No, she refused to believe life would be so unfair to them.

" We can't lose our Kookie. Not him, take me instead, please" Yoongi pleaded to whoever would listen to him above.

They all held each other and cried their hearts out.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Ji Eun stroked Jungkook's black hair, brushing his bangs out of his forehead. His hair was getting longer but she found it endearing.

" Wake up soon okay? I love you." she kissed his temple

" How is he?" Jungkook's mother asked for the eighth time today. She came back from the hospital cafeteria with a cup of coffee and donuts for Ji Eun. They transfered Jungkook to a private and highly secured hospital yesterday after his life was no longer in danger. Ji Eun had refused to leave his side since he came out of the emergency room. Bangtan Boys took turn by his other side. Namjoon and Hobi even slept on the room's couch the previous night despite Big Hit's protests. She just stared at the ceiling all night, unable to sleep on the makeshift bed the nurses kindly put for her on the floor. 

" The nurse said his vital signs are getting better. His body got entirely rid of the toxins." They both sighed in relief. They mobilized some of the best toxicologists and doctors in Seoul who assured them Jungkook will be fine and needed rest. That monster admitted she messed up and miscalculated the quantity of oral cyanide. The toxicology analysis revealed the dose in the bottle was enough to kill one person in a short period of time if they drank more than 30 cl. 

The police officers explained to them the twisted story involving 3 crazy fans. Song Aerin, 19, managed to get a job as an assistant for SBS to get closer to BTS and other idols. Oh Dong Hyeon, 41, the IT fan who was obssessed with Ji Eun helped her to falsify her resume, age and diploms months ago. Along with a 23 years old chinese BTS sasaeng, the three of them send the threats and photos in the black and grey enveloppes. They apparently stalked Ji Eun and Jungkook for months, blending in with others sasaeng. But they got into a fight due to the divergences of their goals. 

Oh Dong Hyeon just wanted to scare them in hopes it will be enough to leave Ji Eun "single" again but was arrested during the investigation.

Zhu Xiu Ying was angry at Jungkook after the dating news, despised Ji Eun and wanted both of them gone. She was the one who sent the poisoned cake to Edam's office but fled back to China when she heard the police was looking for them.

Song Aerin was the only one left and her target was Ji Eun. She explained how her motives changed over time. At first, the letters were just meant to express their anger, frustration and to scare the couple. However, the recent events at award shows, Jungkook's declaration at Ellen DeGeneres's show, his song for Ji Eun in his mixtape and the pregnancy rumor apparently triggered Aerin's wrath and pushed her to make plans to get rid of Ji Eun for good. However her plans were thwarted at the last minute by Jungkook's presence in Ji Eun's dressing room. 

His life was saved by his immediate oxygen ventilation with the small respirator usually used after their performances. Another big factor was the amount of poison he ingested, Jungkook thankfully didn't drink all the liquid in the glass.

" Jieun-ssi, you should go home. It's been two days, go sleep on a real bed, take a shower, eat warm food and then you can comeback. I'll watch over him. Jung Hyunie and Taehyung-ssi will also stay with me tonight." Jungkook's mother gently told her. Ji Eun didn't have any more strength to protest so she nodded.

"I'll see you soon okay" she whispered to Jungkook and exited his room.

" Jieun-ssi, a car is waiting for you outside." Mr Park her bodyguard handed her sunglasses, a mask and a baseball cap to remain hidden. She greeted BTS' bodyguards who had the strict instruction to not let anyone in except the two designated nurses, two doctors, the managers, the family, Bangtan Boys and Ji Eun. 

Hanteo, Ji Hwan, Jong Han were all waiting for her in the car.

" How should we deal with this?" she asked them with a tired voice. 

" We had a meeting with Big Hit and SBS yesterday. You already know everything about the police's investigation. Some fans were waiting outside of Gocheok Sky Dome to get a glimpse of the artists and took several pictures of Jungkook-ssi leaving with the ambulance. Wild rumors are already spreading. Big Hit proposed to pay a large amount to cover everything on the media. For now the official version is Jungkook-ssi fainted after the performances and needed to be taken to the hospital. SBS team made every witness sign a confidentiality contract to not disclose information about what happened inside. Because it concerned one of their "staff" and the incident happened during their event, SBS will take part of the responsibility and would like to officially apologize to you two." Jong Han informed her

" What about those three psychopaths?" Just thinking about them made her want to throw up.

" They are under arrest, our legal team pressed charges for four crimes: murder attempt, harassment, unlawful communications (stalking, threats) and for causing possible psychological and physical injuries. SBS is sueing Song Aerin and Oh Dong Hyeon for forgery of documents, they added breach of contract for her. She said she won't press charges against you for assaulting her. Seoul's Police Department and the general attorney are currently contacting the chinese authorities about Zhu Xiu Ying's case. We're all doing our best to keep this quiet. If words get out about what happened this would be one of the biggest celebrity scandal in Korea. Kakao M, SBS and Big Hit are ready to ask for the president's cabinet intervention as a favor, if needed. " She looked at Hanteo to make sure she heard him right. 

"The President? Why would you involve the Blue House in this? " Ji Eun asked a little dumbfounded by the way things escalated. 

"Well, he has enough power to ask for a very discreet treatment of this matter in the medias, in the police investigation and for a closed off trial. Our common goal is to avoid public exposure of this affair. People will freak out if they knew. Fans are really protective of both of you. Imagine if they heard Jungkook-ssi almost died and you escaped an assassination. This is also a bad publicity for the country's image. To top that: a Chinese citizen is involved in a scandal about an attempted murder and harassment towards two of South Korea's most precious musical treasures and cultural ambassadors. That won't sound good for our already strained relationship with China." Jong Han explained 

"I hope I have enough aspirin at home. This is giving me a headache." This whole thing was insane!

" Don't worry, I don't think it willl go that far. Hopefully these three criminals will spend some time in jail and nobody will know the truth. In the meantime, we're reinforcing the security around you. Don't order restaurant food, Mr Park will buy the groceries for you. No direct interaction with the public either. Ji Hwan-ssi will be with you most of the time during the days. Yoo Inna-ssi volunteered to sleep at your house every night until you feel comfortable enough. We sent a security team for your family and told your brother to be very careful even if he is in the United States. We weren't careful enough and Jungkook-ssi paid the price, you could have died too. We're sincerely sorry Jieunie." 

She wondered what she looked like right now. Hanteo looked very concerned by her lack of reaction and her physical state. Her mind tried to grasp the implication of those measures in her daily life. Her life would never be normal, she accepted that fact years ago. But this was the final straw for her sanity, she already felt suffocated by her lack of freedom before. Now she had to be even more restricted and be suspicious of everything and everyone. 

"I wish this whole nightmare would have never happened but it's not your fault. You tried to protect me the best way you could and I'm sincerely grateful. Nobody could have predicted this." Ji Eun reassured them. 

"Do you want to cancel some activities in your schedule? " 

Ji Eun thought about it for a while. Should she reasume her life as if nothing happened and leave it all behind? She didn't want it to ruin her life and her plans. She refused to live in constant fear and work had always been a good distraction. But shouldn't she tend to her well-being first?

"Yeah, I need to book appointments with my psychologist. ..I need help from a professional, there's too many things in my mind and my heart. What's on my schedule this week?" She finally said after a long moment of silence. 

10 hours later, while she was sleeping soundly, exhausted from all this drama, she received a text from Yoongi saying Jungkook woke up.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

She walked as fast as she could in the hospital hallways since running was forbidden. She hastily greeted the bodyguards and opened his room's double door, finding Jungkook asleep on the bed.

"He fell asleep 15 minutes ago. The doctor said he'll need some time to recover. His liver is not in good condition so he needs to be careful about it. Yoon Lenzo daepyonim and Bang PD-nim just left after talking to JK." Taehyung informed her, he avoided her gaze and she got a feeling their conversation didn't go well. She nodded, took her usual place in the chair beside Jungkook and observed his face. Nothing changed since yesterday, he still looked the same: same tone skin, same bangs falling over his eyes.

The moment he opened his eyes, she burst into tears. 

"Kookie-ah!" 

"Hello my...sunshine" he croaked. Ji Eun threw her arms around his neck and cried in relief on his shoulder. The sudden movement made her injured wrist throb in pain.

"How do you feel? Are you hurting somewhere? I've never been so scared in my life! I thought for a moment you were dead." 

"Luck...luckily I'm still here." he tried to smile, the gesture made her want to cry even more. 

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Jungkook stayed two more days in the hospital and was sent home to rest for another week. He stayed in his own appartment at Seoul Forest Trimage where his mother and Ji Eun took care of him. The three of them tried to distract themselves by planning the decoration of the apartment which was a bit bare.

Jungkook was still weak, she could see how he worried about not getting back his full physical capacities. He was frustated by the situation and complained a lot about being on a bed most days while he used to work out and be active all the time before. 

She did her best to avoid social medias (her psychologist advised her to take a pause) but her fans started to get worried about her silence and her absence at major events.

The only good thing was the sweet messages and hashtags fans wrote for Jungkook, wishing him a good recovery from "his fainting episode". 

"I'm fine you know, I can take care of myself. You should attend MBC Gayo Daejejeon, you already missed KBS Gayo Daechukje. You were supposed to perform there and win awards. And now you're canceling all your plans and work commitments because of me. " he looked at her sadly, guilt evident on his face.

"It's fine, I don't feel like I'm missing something important. And I love spending time with you even if you're a grumpy bunny nowadays. I...just don't feel comfortable right now going to award shows after what happened. " She admitted.

That was the truth, the Ji Eun before the incident was a brave woman, not afraid of anything. Now she was suspicious of everyone outside of her close circle, jumped in fear when she heard the doorbell rang.

She didn't want to admit it in front of him but Jungkook and she gradually became paranoid.

She did a small interview yesterday for a magazine, they met up at a small coffee shop. The interviewer and the waiter were a bit taken aback by Ji Eun's refusal to order anything. 

Jungkook had nightmares at night but refused to talk about it. He prefered to drink in plastic cups and avoided drinking things that were red, saying some gibberish about broken glasses and bad memories. He was clearly traumatized but refused to see a psychologist. They argued all night about it. He said he wanted to forget everything and leave it behind them but his body and mind's reaction said otherwise. She didn't understand his stubborness. For her, it was normal to seek help from a professional when you went through a traumatizing experience and almost died. 

"I'm fine" he persisted to say. That was a lie, none of them were fine. 

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

" **Don't say those words, please**  
 **You know those words hurt me even more.**  
 **You said you would love me, so what is this?**  
 **You don't know what kind of heart you gave me. "**

**🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼**

It happened on a rainy night four days after they celebrated the new year. His mother went back to Busan so they were left alone in his apartment. She should have seen it coming, after all he was unusually quiet all day. He dropped it like a bomb as they were quietly eating dinner. 

" Jieun-ah, this isn't clearly working. We can't keep up like this."

" What are you talking about?" She stopped chewing her food and looked at him. He was rubbing his neck nervously.

" I'm talking about our relationship. It's just too much: so many things happened and I can't handle it anymore. I don't wanna be the reason for your tears. At least not anymore. I don't wanna be the reason your life is becoming hell. I don't wanna be the reason people are threatning your life. You've already got your own share of problems. I'm sorry this happened. We tried our best to make this relationship work but there are always problems after problems. I thought about it a lot: let's take a break and tell people we broke up so they will let us breathe. "

Ji Eun's mind tried to keep up with his words and their meaning.

" Are you....breaking up with me?" She managed to say, still shocked by what he just said.

" I...I'm just saying we should take a break." He said uncertainly

" No!! What I understand is you're trying to push me away at the moment we need each other the most. That's a total bullshit! " Her voice rose in anger

" I need some space to breathe from this whole nightmare. Jieun-ah don't you understand the gravity of the situation and my perspective: people are hating on you and your family, people tried to kill you because of me. How can I sleep correctly at night or live with that burden in my mind? What if something else happened to you and your loved ones and this time they succeed? Those 3 sasaengs might be removed but there's still a lot of crazy people out there who might target you. And I'm so sick of living like this, I can't take it anymore. My burdens shouldn't be yours too. "

Of course she understood what he meant but she was so mad by his lack of will to fight for their happiness.

" You're giving them exactly what they wanted from the beginning. You're giving up on us. Why? Have you forgotten what we said: we're the best team and we're facing everything together, for better and for worse. Was it all a lie? Don't you love me enough ? "  
Her tears started to fall on the mahogany table. She almost lost him in the worst way possible, she coudn't lose him like this.

" You know I love you more than anything in this world. Jieun-ah please don't cry."

She cried even more after he said that.

" If you love me so much then why are you doing this to us? Do you remember what I said when I realized I fell in love with you months ago? I asked you to promise me that if I dive into this relationship, everything's gonna be okay and you'll keep my heart safe. Jeon Jungkook you made a promise and I believed you and now.... you're...breaking my heart ."

" Being together is too dangerous and it's always causing trouble. This is the only way for us to stop all this nightmare and get back a more peaceful life. Or...we can leave everything behind...leave this industry and toxic environment..and start a quiet life somewhere far away."

The last option was really tempting. She was tired, so tired of everything. But the reality check of that kind of decision caught her up.

" So you're going to break your contract, start a lawsuit with your agency because I'm 100% sure they won't let you walk away easily, there's too much money at stake if you leave the group. BTS entire existence would be threatened if one of you left. So you're going to suddenly disappear, leave your brothers behind after all you've been through, stop making music, stop performing on stage, disappoint and hurt all your fans. Then they will be more spiteful towards me, saying I was the cause of your downfall and this vicious threatning circle will go back again." 

" Jieun-ah..."

" And me... There are days when I really want to give everything up but I know that won't be the best decision in the long run. I love this life and this job too much. I know you do too: you once said you were nothing without BTS. Who would I be, what would I do without the music and my career? Can we really give up everything we've worked hard for 10 years and the reasons we wake up every morning without regrets? We were born to be singer and music makes us alive. I think we might resent each other one day if we took that decision." She reasoned

They stayed silent for several minutes, avoiding to look at each other. Hurt would be an understatement to describe how she felt. 

"I'm sorry Jieun-ah. I think it's for the best if we both take some distances from each other and calm this whole thing. I'm sorry, I genuinely thought we could make it work, that we could be a normal couple but this is getting out of control. We're both unhappy now, I see it, you feel it too. The bad memories are slowly eating away the good ones. I'm sorry it ended up this way. I love you, I will love you forever no matter what happens in our life. If things get calmer one day maybe we could try again, give ourselves another chance. There will be no one else but you for me, I promise. "

That last sentence cut deep into her heart.

" Don't promise me things Jeon Jungkook, I won't believe you anymore." She took her bag, gave him one last look, slammed the door and walked away. 


	36. Love story/Paper hearts

**" I was nothing special but thanks to the break up you gave me, I became the main character in a sad love story, in this sad love story "**

Ji Eun was cleaning up her room, putting in a box the things she wanted to donate to the charity flea market and auction organized by GDragon, Taeyang and Dara. The funds raised will be donated to an organization dedicated to provide medical supplies and financial support for disabled people. The objects went from signed copy of her last album to designer bags and clothes she had no real attachment to.

Yoo Inna found her one hour later hidden in her dressing, crying her heart out, her song with Epik High blasting through her phone.

"Jieunie, what are you doing crying inside your dressing? Aish, stop listening to this sad song, you're only making it worse" she told her

"Unnie !!" Ji Eun's sobs intensified. Yoo Inna sat on the floor beside her and rubbed her shoulders. Her bestfriend finally noticed the reason of her meltdown: a box full of the things Jungkook gave her.

The night she stormed away from his apartment a week ago, Ji Eun went straight to her bedroom and threw in a box all the things related to him: the drawing from her birthday, his shirts that she used to wear, the Lily painting from Switzerland, her couple ring, all his letters, their MAMA award for Best collaboration, the mug he usually used when he was in her apartment, the chocolate he bought for her during his tour in Mexico, the scrunchies from her favorite store in Barcelona, the leather black jacket he gave her after their MV shooting.

"Oww, I see now what got you upset, come here" Yoo Inna said opening her arms for Ji Eun. She hugged her tight, letting the tears flow.

"I hate him so much right now! But I still love him so much! Unnie, ottoke?"

" Jieunie, just remember that even a compass, which is supposed to tell you which direction to go, wobbles before it finds its true course. Facing the wobbles along the way is a natural part of the journey for life and love. Here, let me take that box so you won't see it and get hurt again."

"Should I also delete all of his photos and our pictures together from my phone?" Ji Eun asked her, unsure of what to do.

"That's only for you to decide" Yoo Inna helped her get up and clean the dressing.

The statement that Jungkook and IU broke up, officially "due to their busy schedule" was published by their agencies two days later.

** Golden  ** ** Disk ** ** Awards, Seoul, 17 Jan. 21 **

She told the GDA's organisation committee a rehearsal of the duet with Jungkook was unnecessary. They were used to sing it so their performance during the show would be on point. The chairman committee was a bit flustered and seemed uncomfortable on the phone, undoubtedly aware of the recent break-up news. He apologized that she was put in this awkward situation but the line-up for their performances was decided two months ago and they couldn't have a last-minute withdrawal. She apologized in return for the discomfort it could bring to the staff. 

Ji Eun could cancel things for MBC Gayo and KBS Gayo but she couldn't do the same for a more important ceremony like the Golden Disk Awards. Moreover she was nominated for the two biggest prizes: album of the year and digital song of the year. She could do this and stay professional, she was tired of hiding in her apartment and needed to get her life back on track.

The journalists and photographers went wild when she arrived on the red carpet. This was her first public appearance since Christmas and it was like everyone also wanted a shot of her face after her absence and mostly her break-up. Or at least that was how she interpreted it.

She posed with more confidence this time, feeling as if she needed to show the world she was hella fine and back on top of her game. Wear confidence as an armour once said JeA to her. Haters will find a way to criticize anyway so fuck them. She walked into the ceremony with a stronger mindset and determination to do her best to stay professional.

She was talking to Yoo Inna (who will present an award tonight) when Kim Soo Hyun came to greet them. He was the MC for the ceremony along with SNSD's Seohyun.

" Hello beautiful girls !!" 

" Look who's here, the one and only man who's trying to steal my title as Jieunie's ultimate bestfriend." Inna gave him a mocking smile

" Watch out noona, I'm gonna steal your girl one day and win back that title" Soo Hyun put his hands around Jieun's shoulders and Inna pouted. She missed those two dorks bickering!

" Jieunie! You never texted me back about our coffee catch up. I was waiting, I even prepared a list of all the things I wanted to tell you since it's been a while."

" Oh yes , sorry oppa, I had a lot on my mind lately, I forgot"

" You're the one who suggested it and insisted so I said yes. I even added I'll adapt my schedule to yours. And now you're saying you don't have time for me? Ah jinjja that little punk. You can take her back Inna noona, I don't wanna that kind of bestfriend." Soo Hyun joked and faked a very hurt expression which made them all laugh. A staff told him the ceremony will begin soon therefore he needed to take his spot.

She was extremely happy but also surprised to receive the Daesang for Song of year for _Eight_. She thought Zico or BTS would win. It was a beautiful reward for all her team's hardwork. She went on stage with Suga and said the speech she prepared about how preserving a good environment for the artists and fans was important, how fans shouldn't delve into fandom wars or malicious comments. She asked the agencies and the artists to focus on protecting the artist's mental wellbeing. She thought of course about what happened with her and Jungkook, but she was also refering to Sulli and Hara. She already lost too many people because of all this hate and toxic environment, it needed to stop. 

The moment she apprehended the most came in the middle of the 3 hours ceremony. She was called backstage to prepare for the performance. She got dressed and waited for the stage director signal. She looked to her right as Jungkook arrived and stood nervously next to her.

" Hello " he was the one who greeted her first. They hadn't talk since that rainy night, they separately told their agency about the break-up and confirmed their performance for GDA through their managers.

"Hello"

" Are you ready?" he said to her with a shy smile after a few seconds of silence. She didn't have time to respond because they got the signal to go on stage.

She remembered how happy she felt the times they went together on stage or just whenever they both sang. This time there were no special handshakes, no good luck, no easy smiles, no backstage hugs.

The crowd gasped and screamed when they both appeared on stage. Her reunion with her recently ex-boyfriend would probably be the talk of the day. Exes in the k-industry usually avoided each other and made sure to not be seen at the same events. They both stood in their respective spots, marked with an X on the ground so the projection of wings could appear behind their backs.

She sang the first note of _From Lily with love_ , tried her best to not get swallowed by the emotions. She told herself she was an actress after all, she could go through this performance normally. They both tried to not make long eye contact while they sing about the couple's heartbreak. 

She noticed how Jungkook struggled at some words and notes. Half of her wanted to get closer to him and hold his shaking hands to support him. The other half wanted to turn away and let him deal with it on his own, after all it was his fault if they weren't together anymore. Okay that really sounded bitter, deep down she understood his motives but the outcome still frustrated her.

In the end, she stayed in her spot, looked at him briefly, their eyes met and she gave him a small encouraging smile in hopes it will help him go through the high notes and the lyrics that hit home so hard. Her kind gesture produced the opposite effect as he stopped singing and lowered his eyes. She knew he was crying and her heart broke for the second time. She started singing his part so the show could go on, fighting really hard to hold her tears. He came back to his senses and they sang the last verse together. This might be the last time they sing together.

It started with a song, a simple but not so simple collaboration between two singers. Then it bloomed into something more meaningful. It was kind of poetic that their sad love story also ended with the same song that started it all.

** Mungyeong, 20 Feb ** **.2021 **

"Noona, thanks again for coming to our variety show" Yeo Jingoo smiled at her. They took a break from House on the wheels' filming.  
  
The restriction lessened over the weeks and she was gradually able to breathe again and stop being afraid or being suspicious of everything. She also slept a bit better. She was still careful though, she received a bit of hate after their duet at GDA. Some people blamed her for Jungkook's sadness, some cursed her for breaking his heart. She fought hard to not reply "fuck you all" to those comments. 

"You're not the type to ask for favors so I accepted right away. It's really nice here, everyone's kind and we're having fun! It's exactly the distraction I needed. " she admitted 

"Yeah, about that, how are you? " he quietly asked

" I'm fine!" She replied. Jingoo looked at her perplexed

" I saw Jungkook last week, he came to my house for dinner. He said he was fine too but he looked miserable. Well to be honest, noona you both look miserable without each other. You're smiling for the cameras but when they're off I can see your heart is not into it." 

She didn't want to hear those things because it still hurt. She said she moved on but yesterday she felt weird when she saw the new ice cream commercials with BTS and GFriend. Jungkook was smiling with Eunha in one picture. She couldn't say she was over him when seeing him with another girl made her heart sting. Even if it was for a professional purpose and even if she knew Jungkook wasn't interested in Eunha. She was so screwed! She consoled herself saying it was normal to have difficulty getting over the person she thought was the one for her. 

"Why don't you take some vacation? Choose a quiet place to resource yourself and to find what you lost " Jingoo suggested. 

"You're right, I really need that" Ji Eun took her phone and texted Lee Hyori. After her break up with Jang Kiha she participated in Hyori's bed and breakfast and it turned out to be a beautiful healing time for her. She always felt refreshed when she was in the presence of Lee Hyori and Lee Sang Soon. She needed their guidance and calming aura.

💌💌💌💌💌💌💌💌

**" Everything is gray under these skies, wet mascara, hiding every cloud under a smile when there's cameras.** **And I just can't reach out to tell you, that I always wonder what you're up to.** **"**

**" I live through pictures as if I was right there by your side but you'll be good without me and if I could just give it some time, I'll be alright."**

**Map of the soul Tour,** **Osaka, 25 feb.21**

"Jungkook-ssi? Jungkook-ssi? Are you listening to me? " Their dance director Son Sung Deuk called out his name.

"Sorry hyung, I was distracted, what were you saying?" 

"You've been distracted a lot lately. Could you please just focus for the next 15mn? We only have a short amount of time to rehearse this. I promise we're almost done and then you can rest. Please take your position on the center, we're making the transition between _Make it right_ and _Boy with luv_."

" Of course, I'm sorry again" this wasn't the first time he delayed rehearsals. His mind and his body were not at their top form this last two months. He sometimes experienced muscles relaxation and swelling in his ankles when he was tired. The Asian tour couldn't be postponed so they adapted a few things : a lighter choreo (like in the L.A concerts) and more confortable shoes and outfits for him.   
He felt sorry to all the people around him who suffered from his bad moods.

When he woke up in the hospital, Big Hit's executives were relieved to see he was okay but then they started to scold him. Yoon Lenzo even listed all the troubles Jungkook caused the last 4 years, begging him to be more responsible because his actions had a negative impact for the group. 

He had insomnia the first month after their break-up so he wrote musics at night, ended up sleeping in his chair then woke up in the morning with headaches and sore muscles. Back then he thought he would get better as time passes by, but he didn't. Keeping a smile to reassure the fans, his worried hyungs and everyone around him was harder than he thought. 

**Map of the soul Tour, Tokyo, 01st March.21**

"For someone who wants to take distance, you're constantly looking Jieun-ssi up on the internet and then you react badly to some of the things you see. Kookie-ah, deep down you know this whole break-up thing isn't working." Yoongi quietly told him one night as they were both eating in his hotel room in Tokyo. 

" My first intentions were not to break-up for good, I said it was best to take a break because things weren't working well. I thought maybe one day we could get back together. She made it clear she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. Half of me thinks I fucked up and made a huge mistake but the other half is telling me this is for the best, we both needed space, it was too dangerous and now she's doing great without me. " 

" Are you sure about that? " Yoongi quirked his brow

" Yeah look at those pictures, she's radiating happiness next to Kim Soo Hyun sunbaenim and Jingoo hyung" He showed him the pictures and videos from Golden Disk Awards and from House on the wheels. He watched the episodes yesterday and cried for an hour afterwards.

He went to Yeo Jingoo's house three weeks ago and asked him to look out for Ji Eun because he was worried about her. She needed real and trustworthy friends around her. Despite that, it still hurt him to see her being so close and happy with another man (even if it was his friend and he knew Jingoo would never make a move on Ji Eun). 

She seemed doing better than those crazy days after the incident when they both lived in fear even at home and more especially outside. Their lives turned into a nightmare and he had a hard time dealing with it because he knew it was his fault. It started with the malicious comments when they released their duet. He thought things would get better in time, that everyone would finally accept their couple and leave them alone but it only got worse, until the unthinkable happened. He repeled the memories out of his mind and tried to focus on something positive. 

Ji Eun looked happy and more carefree, this was what he wanted for her. So why did it made his heart ache? 

" We're having a few days of break soon. Why don't you use it to take time for yourself? You said you wanted to take a break and be able to breathe again. Go somewhere you'll feel peaceful, a place with good vibes. "

"That's actually a good idea, thanks hyung, I will think about it!" He was grateful to have 6 caring brothers. He hoped Yoongi's lovestory with Adora will have a better outcome.

He made a list of places in his head. What a great coincidence that he received a text a day later from Lee Hyori telling him she and her husband will go on a trip for two weeks and her offer still stood if Jungkook wanted the house for himself. He texted her right back that he was taking her kind offer.

That night he wondered if it would be a good idea to go back to the place where he had some of his best memories with Ji Eun. It will hurt for sure but maybe he needed to go there for closure and to make peace with himself. The concept of closure was difficult to accept because he still hoped one day Ji Eun will forgive him, fans will let them live peacefully (maybe in his 30's) and he could finally be with Ji Eun without problems. 

💬💬💬💬💬💬

18 feb.2021

_@jiminie created a group chat on KakaoTalk_

_@taetae, @joonie, @yoongi @hobi, @worlwidehandsomejin, @yooinna was added to the conversation_

_@taetae added @yeojingoo_

_@jiminie:_ _**Hello everyone, welcome to our undercover mission to save the bunny/banana milk/kooku couple !! Thank you for your cooperation and contribution to the effective operation of this mission. We're gathered here because we are very worried for our friends and want to do something to see them genuinely happy again.** _

_@worlwidehandsomejin:_ _**Yoo Inna sunbae** _ _,_ _**how's the evolution of the situation from your side? Is Jieun-ssi still mad at Jungkook?** _

_@yooinna:_ ** _She stopped being pissed off at him for breaking her heart. Now she's mad at herself for falling for him in the first place. But she still kept their photos and conversations in her phone so I guess it's a good sign_**.

_@joonie:_ _**Jungkook's not** _ _**faring** _ _**better too.** _ _**He's** _ _**really** _ _**stubborn** _ _**and** _ _**won't** _ _**contact her first. He said he's** _ _**scared** _ _**and doesn't want to upset or hurt her even more.** _

_@taetae :_ _**This whole thing is confusing !! But they clearly still love each other very much. We need to** _ _**create** _ _**a situation where they would** _ _**confront** _ _**each other about the nonsense of this break up.** _ _**Wow** _ _**I feel like we're in** _ _**movie** _ **_._ **

@yeojingoo : **_Hello everyone, it's Jingoo!_** ** _Noona_** ** _is_** ** _coming to my_** ** _variety_** ** _show tomorrow. I'll try to slowly_** ** _bring_** ** _this_** ** _subject_** ** _on the table._**

26 feb.2021

_@yooinna_ : ** _Hi !!_** ** _Jieunie_** ** _just told me_** ** _Jingoo_** ** _suggested her to go on a_** ** _healing_** ** _trip. She_** ** _decided_** ** _to go to Lee Hyori's and Lee_** ** _Sangsoon_** ** _house in Incheon. Do we all have the same idea?_** ** _🤔😏🤩_**

@jiminie **_Yes yes yes, this is the_** ** _perfect_** ** _set up for JK and noona. I remember how he told us their vacation_** ** _there_** ** _was one the best moments of his life !!_**

_@_ _hobi_ _:_ **_Come on guys, let's use our relations and connections to get Lee Hyori sunbae's phone_ ** **_number_ **

1st  march 2021

_@_ _yooinna_ _:_ **_I got it,_ ** **_stole_ ** **_it from_ ** **_Jieunie's_ ** **_phone contact when she was distracted earlier_ **

_@yooinna added_ _@leehyori_

@hobi: _**good job noona !**_ _**Someone**_ **_needs to talk to Kookie._** **_Yoongi_** ** _that_** ** _task_** ** _is_** ** _yours_** ** _._**

@yoongi : **_why me ?_**

@hobi: **_well_** ** _you're_** ** _good with_** ** _words_** ** _about those kind of love_** ** _stuffs_** ** _. And_** ** _you're_** ** _good at_** ** _bluffing_** ** _._**

@worlwidehandsomejin: **_that kid_** ** _believes_** ** _everything you_** ** _say_** ** _. I can't do it, I might_** ** _blew_** ** _it up by getting easily frustrated with his_** ** _stubborness_** ** _._**

@leehyori : _**Hello everyone, I just**_ _ **finished**_ _ **caughting**_ _ **up with the conversations. Of course I'm in! This is really**_ _ **exciting**_ _ **, I feel like I'm 20 again. Ji Eun said she'll come during a weekend.**_ _ **When**_ _ **are you getting days off?**_ _ **We'll**_ _ **make sure they will be alone for 2 days in the**_ _ **house**_ _ **. I'll even**_ _ **lock**_ _ **the gate up so they can't escape! 😈😜**_

_**🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰** _

**_"_ ** **_Pictures I'm living through for now, trying to remember all the good times._ ** **_Our life was cutting through so loud, memories are playing in my dull mind"_ **

Jungkook's driver entered the alley leading to Hyori's house. The doctor and Big Hit still hasn't allowed him to drive. It was a miracle they let him stay here two days alone without a bodyguard. It was all thanks to the house top security system and the reassurance from Lee Hyori that he'll be safe in her house.

He checked the text with the gate's code and the indication to find the hidden house keys. He found them inside a pot plant and opened the house. Being here again brought back many memories and sensations.

" Kookie?" He jumped in surprise when he heard Ji Eun's voice. Maybe he should have taken those meds suggested by the doctor. He was clearly having hallucinations.

He saw Ji Eun slowly descend the stairs, as if she couldn't believe he was here. The more she approached, the clearer it was in his mind that this was indeed real, she was here.

" What are you doing here?" They both asked at the same time. Ji Eun blushed while he looked away, nervous as hell.

" I came here to visit unnie and oppa. They left one hour ago to buy groceries. I thought they were back when I heard the car. " She told him

" What? Hyori noona told me the house was empty because they went on a two weeks vacation so I decided to come here during my days off"

Their eyes widened when they realized they have been fooled.

" Do you want me to go?" He finally asked her after an awkward silence. Please say no, please tell me to stay Jieun-ah. He thought.

" No...yes...I don't know." She seemed genuinely lost but her brown eyes were shining with the same intensity months ago when they were hopelessly in love.

He remembered how happy they were in this house during their first vacation together. He could almost remember her laughters as he chased her through the garden and then the stairs to their bedroom. He remembered the simple joy of cooking together, his thoughts about spending the rest of his life with her. He remembered their first night together and the way she whispered she loved him against all odds, that their love was worth every sacrifice.

" I think we need to talk" he looked at her in the eyes, determined to make things right and to do right by her.


	37. If you

**" If you...if it's not too late, can't we get back together?**

**If you're struggling like I am,can't we make things a little easier?**

**I should've treated you better when I had you."**

**💕💕💕💕💕💕**

"I think we need to talk" he told her. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. There were too many things left unsaid. They both stood there, in the middle of the living room, looking at each other. 

"Okay, go ahead"

" We kinda never had the chance to talk. I assumed things and I think I was wrong and belittled your feelings. I didn't think about the hurt you would feel. Pushing you away and ending things were honestly a stupid decision. I'm sorry, that was a dumb move from my part."

"Dumb decision would be an understatement. But I also refused to talk to you after that night so..." Ji Eun muttered. They were both stubborn so they ended up being hurt.

" You never got to explain to me how you really felt about all this things. Could you please tell me so I could understand? "

Where should she begin? There were so many things in her mind and in her heart. 

" That night I was very upset and hurt by the fact that you gave up on us at the first big obstacle. You almost died and for a time the perspective of losing you, of living without you was so scary. Then you woke up and I thought we would never let go of each other because what we had was so precious and life seemed so feeble and fragile. I needed you. We needed each other's support and you pushed me away. For what kind of result? Ok things calmed down but people still talks about us. I'm still a target but for different reasons. People will always talk anyway so screw them. Instead of presenting an united front against a threat, you made up your mind about dealing with it on your own and refused help when it was obvious you needed it. Why? Is it a question of pride? Did you thought I would think less of you if you admitted you were not okay. I really thought we had a better communication and trust than that. I can understand you had a hard time dealing with a traumatizing experience and all our problems. However if something bothered you, we could have talked about it. I knew what I signed up for when I made the decision to date you. I told you many times that those crazy fans comments and actions were not your fault, that I would never held you responsible for the negative things that happened. Was I talking to a wall all those times? Because it was like you didn't hear nor took in consideration what I said. Why was it so hard to believe?"

" You're right, I thought I knew best and I made a decision for us that wasn't the right one. I was confused for a long time and the doubts started to creep into my mind. I wondered is this right? Why did I feel like our relationship wasn't working? Why did I feel like I always put you in trouble? A lot of things happened and I had a hard time dealing with it. I thought being away from each other will set us free from the unhappiness and the stressful events, that we would get back our life before. And then I thought if it doesn't work now maybe the timing was not right but we could pick up things later. I was wrong, I was so wrong because the hate didn't stop and we were both suffering even more alone. I'm sorry I hadn't taken your feelings in consideration. You told me so many time how important it was to stick together. I make dumb decision sometimes, I'm also immature. This is my first long term and serious relationship and there are things that I still don't understand well. I'm sorry I hurt you. I made a mistake, it took me a while to realize it but our time apart proved me that I can't be away from you, I'm miserable without you and time didn't make it easier. If you ever give me the opportunity, I want us to be able to trust one another again. And I will do what it takes to make that happen. Just tell me what I need to do to prove you I'm 100% serious and committed to this."

" I understand why you did it: you wanted to protect me and you needed space. It came from good intentions. I still need time to process all of it. I can't forgive you right away because I was really hurt. What also upset me was when you made a promise after you just broke one. You said things as if I would take you back easily when YOU will decide it would be the right time again.Just because I love you doesn't mean I'm yours to toss and then pick up whenever you decide to. Do not take my love for granted, do not ever assume that you know what's best for me without consulting me."

" Jieun-ah, I've never taken your love for granted. On the contrary, I wrongly assumed that I loved you more than you loved me."

He looked away and wiped away with his sleeves the tears falling down on his cheeks.

" Kookie-ah, how many times do I have to say and prove you that I love you for you to fully believe it? Just because you loved me first for a longer time doesn't mean my feelings for you aren't as strong and sincere."

Ji Eun started crying, out of all the issues they faced and the things they talked about, this one pained her the most. In the end, it was all about the way they perceived each other's love. She never had doubt about his feelings, his faithfullness and adoration for her. Her lovelife revolved around the certitude that Jungkook loved her with all his heart until that fateful night of break up that made her question everything.

Him on the other end seemed to underestimate the depth of her love for him. Ok she fell in love with him last year while he hopelessly loved her for years but did a person's love should be measured by the amount of time? He told her once or twice that he thought he was dreaming or this was just too good to be true. Did he always felt like she loved him less than he loved her?

" I know..." He lowered his head in shame. "Mianhe Jieun-ah, mianhe. It took me a while but now I understand. How can I make things right? Do you want to give me another chance? "

That thoughts crossed her mind this morning after she had a long talk with Lee Hyori about the hardships in relationships and in life. Her unnie gave her a cup of hot chocolate and opened up to her.

_" Jieun-ah, you know people make mistakes. I made a lot in my life and struggled with a lot of issues. Sang Soon oppa helped me to be a better person and overcome those issues. Before him, I jumped from a relationship to another until I realized it wasn't the right path for me. I did and said things to oppa that I regreted afterwards. It takes a lot of courage to recognize your mistakes and learn from it. I was afraid he would leave me, I told myself Lee Hyori, you're really stupid: you found a good man and then you managed to screw it up. But he said to me it was okay, he didn't judge me for it, he accepted I was immature and lacking in some points when it came to being in a committed relationship because I didn't knew better. And we learned together. Once I knew he would give me another chance to reedem myself, I took it without hesitation and never made the same mistakes. If he hadn't been understanding the first time I made a big mistake, we would never be here."_

Jungkook genuinely looked remorseful and finally ready to overcome his own issues and doubts concerning his life and their relationship. Despite the responsibility on his back with his career, he was still a 24 years old young man, figuring things out in his first serious relationship. She still loved him and he hurt her. It was normal to have old wounds that would take time to heal. But in order for a new start to be successful they needed to be able to talk about those issues calmly and respectfully together to avoid an unhealthy cycle of criticism.

" Let's take it slow, okay. I need time but I'm not against going back with you..I...I'm willing to give us another chance." She finally told him.

" Yeah of course, we'll move slowly. Thank you Jieun-ah. Ok...hmmm what does it mean concretly?" He rubbed his neck nervously

" First of all, put your bags in the other guest bedroom. I won't sleep in the same bed as you. Secondly, we'll stop looking at the comments and people's opinion on the internet. We toss all the toxic things aside. I'm done with people's bullshit and I'm going to concentrate on my career and my well-being. Thirdly, I don't wanna go public with our relationship again: we'll keep things to ourselves, stop mentioning each other in public. Our private life was exposed too much and we need to protect ourselves. We don't owe explications to anyone anymore. Lastly, I need to be sure that you won't break my heart again, I want actions not false promises. This is our last chance, I don't wanna go back and forth like I did with Kiha oppa for 4 years. If it doesn't work this time, we'll call it quits permanently." 

Jungkook nodded

" I'll do whatever you want. You were right, I need help, I still got the nightmares and the dark thoughts. I'll make appointments with a psychiatrist, the same one who helped Yoongi hyung through his depression and anxiety disorder." 

"That's a good start" she gave him a small smile.

**💕💕💕💕💕💕**

They didn't know how to act around each other after their talk. He accidently brushed her shoulders when he reached out for the salt in the cupboard while she was cooking. Ji Eun blushed and he instinctively apologized. 

"It's okay" she told him. During dinner, they talked about his asian tour, her new project for her fans and their respective families. Ji Eun looked at the clock, guessing Hyori and Sang Soon will not come back, leaving them alone.

He told her good night after cleaning up and went to his bedroom. Ji Eun realized this was the first time they were together in one house and slept separately. She hugged her pillow tight: her heart wishing it was Jungkook, her brain telling her to be careful. 

They quietly spend the second day talking and doing their own things: she did yoga outside, read books and took naps while he watched TV and played guitar. She joined him on the couch when she noticed he was watching Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Yea-Ji last drama " _It's okay to not be okay"._ Jungkook tried a few dad jokes to lighten the atmosphere and she pointed out funny things about the drama.

When it was time to go back to Seoul, Jungkook knocked on her door to say goodbye.

" You're leaving." she couldn't help the little disappointment in her voice

" Yeah, my driver is here. Gotta go back home, we have an early shooting tomorrow."

"Okay"  
He handed her a piece of paper

"I...I wrote you a letter, like I used to do."

" I don't know what to say, hmm thank you..." She blushed again, not knowing how she should react.

He looked a bit defeated but then smiled at her.

" I'll text you. Take care! Bye "

He took his bags and walked away. Her heart ached as she watched him go. She looked at his letter again.   
She ran in the hallway and flew down the stairs.

" Jeon Jungkook-ssi, wait!"

He turned around, surprised to see her 

" Did I forget something in the house?" He asked her and dropped his bags next to the car.

" Yes" her cheeks turned red and it made him smile a little bit

" You forgot this" she approached him, tiptoed and kissed his cheek at the exact spot where his dimple was. Just like she did when she realized she fell in love with him last year.

Jungkook looked at her with round eyes, then blushed. He flashed her favorite smile and got in the car.

💕💕💕💕💕

Yoo Inna was waiting for her at home after her trip to Incheon.

" So how did it go?" Was the first thing that she asked as soon as Ji Eun stepped in her home.

" Wait, you knew about all of this? I thought it was only Hyori unnie's plan."

" Nope, it was all a teamwork's effort." Her bestfriend smiled at her

" Unnie, I don't know if I should thank you or strangle you for meddling in my life."

" I guess it went well then. Wait here I have something for you." Inna ran to the door and disappeared for 5 minutes. She came back with the box full of Jungkook's presents and things.

" I thought you might want this back. I kept it in my closet because I knew you would regret throwing them away. Every object here is part of your love story."

" Unnie, thank you" 

" Just be happy Jieunie, that's all I can wish for you" Inna hugged her and let her cry.

💕💕💕💕💕💕

@jiminie: _**The first step of Mission**_ _ **Save**_ _ **Kooku**_ _ **was a**_ _ **success**_ _ **!! 🐰🐰**_ _ **Thank**_ _ **you everyone for your hard work and contribution.**_ _ **Let's**_ _ **keep this up! #lovewins**_

@yeojingoo : **_Congrats_** ** _everyone !!_**

@taetae: _**Wait**_ _ **..are they officially back together or not? I'm confused by**_ _ **Kookie's**_ _ **answer**_ _ **.**_

@joonie: **W** _ **hat did he say exactly?**_

@hobi : _**they are**_ _ **taking**_ _ **things slowly. What does it mean?**_ 🤔

@worldwidehandsomejin: _**oh no 😭😭 it means they didn't have**_ _ **mindblowing**_ _ **make up sex #wae? 🤭😭💔**_ 🐰

@yoongi : **_put that phone down hyung, you're_** ** _embarrassing_** ** _us_**

@leehyori : **this is so funny 😂😂😂**

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	38. Just one day

Jungkook didn't see Ji Eun for another 10 days after their talk in Incheon due their busy schedule. The Map of Soul Tour was coming to an end in South Korea as they only had 2 concerts left in Seoul next week. He was sad to see it end as he loved being on stage and interact with the fans but he was also relieved to get some rest.

They filmed a Run BTS episode yesterday with a special gift at the end: 2 days off at home. He went back in the dorm, took his travel duffle bag and went straight to the train station. A bodyguard accompanied him for the travel, something he learned to get used to over the years. None of them were safe alone in a public space: they always ended up attracting crowd. As soon as she heard the news, his mom gathered everyone for dinner in their apartment. He was genuinely delighted to spend time with his parents, Jung Hyun, Hye Sun and their grandparents. 

Hye Sun was talking about her work during dinner. 

"My new boss is really cool you know, she's 45 and had good experience in management. It's a good change compared to the idiot we had before. We were having dinner with all the employees and she told us she went to an IU fanmeeting last week with her teenage daughter. They are both big fans and her daughter is also an Army. It's nice when a parent and a child share a common passion. By the way, Jungkook-ssi, she was so sad about your break up with Jieun-unnie. She said you were such a cute couple. What a pity you two didn't last! I really liked her too." Hye Sun sighed. Jungkook saw on the corner his mother nod in approval at his future sister-in-law's words.

" Hye Sun-ah, let's talk about something else. The samgyeopsal is delicious! Do you want more little bro? " His brother said, afraid Jungkook would feel uncomfortable.

" Noona and I are kinda back together, or at least we're heading to that, it's a bit complicated." He admitted in front of his family

"Someone finally heard my prayers!" his mother exclaimed 

" We had a long heart to heart talk to work out our issues and we're trying to not make the same mistakes." 

"Believe me, if all couples get separated after their first big fight, there wouldn't be any marriage left in this country. Just look at us: I met your grandmother in a refugee camp during the korean war in 1953. That was a very tough time you know, many of us were left traumatized. The 10 years after the end of the war was also very difficult: few job offers, no money, her family was against us but we got married anyway. Life back then was very different from what you kids experience today. Your grandmother and I still fight at least once a week since we got married but we're still here. If we could have survived the war, the poverty, people's disapproval, then Jungkookie you could easily overcome in this modern time whatever problems you both have. Just take a positive attitude in front of the issues." his grandfather told him.

His parents choose to keep the grandparents in the dark about his poisoning at Christmas. It was better this way, he didn't want them to have more worries.

" Yeah I guess everything will be alright for us, thanks halabeoji. You actually never told us about that period of your life."

"Oh please don't get him started on this, he can talk about it for hours. I heard that story at least once a month when I was a child." his father complained. Everyone laughed and continued eating, it was really nice to be home. 

"I'm so excited to see you on stage at the Olympic Stadium. It's so huge, the last time we were there we had to watch the big screens to see what's really going on because you appeared like a dot in the scene." His father said 

"Yeah this year they arranged the scene differently, the President and the mayor of Seoul will be there so they prepared a big VIP box for family, friends and officials."

"I'm coming then! I wanna see my grandson sing and shake the President's hands." his grandma declared 

"Do you wanna come too halabeoji?" Jungkook asked the older man. His grandparents actually never went to one of his concert. 

" Why not" 

"Great, I'm telling Sejin hyung you're all coming. Wow I'm really really happy, gamsahamnida" he bowed to the elders 

"Is your special friend coming too?" his grandpa asked. What is a special friend? Whom is he talking about? His mother seemed to have noticed his confusion and told them halabeoji was refering to Ji Eun. 

" Oh ! No no, Jieun-noona won't be there. She's busy and it's a complicated situation. She's a public figure too so I'm afraid people will recognize her right away and talk about it or do something about it." Going to his concert would infringe their new rule about avoiding public exposure and keeping things to themselves. Even if in reality he would love to see her there, cheering on him.

"What does she look like? Do you have a picture?" 

Jungkook searched for a picture of Ji Eun on his phone and showed it to his grandfather. 

"Omo she looks familiar. Where have I seen her?" 

"Yeobo, of course you've seen her, she's a popular singer and actress. IU-ssi is always on TV. That's what you get when you insist on only watching the news on TV and nothing else. You should open your mind to other things. Why did I marry a stubborn idiot?" his grandmother uttered. Everyone was trying hard to not laugh. 

"Omo omo I remember! She's the girl on the soju advertisement." 

"Yes halabeoji, that's her." 

"She's undoubtedly pretty. Do you plan to marry her?"

"Abeoji, please don't pressure the kid, they just got back together." his father said

"What is wrong with kids nowadays? Jung Hyun and Hye Sun just told me they are waiting at least one year before getting married. In my time, when you met the right girl, you didn't wait that long to tie the knot." 

"That was 60 years ago halabeoji, things are different now. We're still very young. " Junghyun stated. He watched as the conversation about marriage pursued. Jung Hyun felt a bit defensive about it, explaining they wanted to be financially stable before thinking about getting married. 

"Hye Sun-ssi just got promoted and needs to prove herself in her new job. I'm working on several shifts and I'm still waiting for a full time permanent position. How can we plan a wedding, build a household and raise kids properly when we're not even sure about our monthly incomes? " 

Jungkook understood their reasoning even if he had the luck to be well off financially. He already had an awkward conversation with his brother about this sensitive subject . He once suggested to give money to help the couple buy an apartment in Busan. Jung Hyun told him the car he received as a gift last year was more than enough. 

" Hyung, I have more money than I need, I would genuinely like to share it with the people I love and use it for a good purpose, like giving you the wedding of your dreams." 

If an apartment was a bit too much, maybe paying for their wedding would be more acceptable. Jung Hyun was about to refuse right away but their mother and Hye Sun stopped him, sensing it might create a little argument.

"Thank you Jungkook-ssi, that's a kind offer. We would really like do it with our own means but we'll reach out to you if needed." she smiled at him.

Dinner calmed down after that, they resumed eating and avoided any other sensitive subject.

That night Jungkook turned in his small bed, wondering when would be the right time to marry Ji Eun: next year (no she said they will move slowly), before or after his enlistment, or maybe in 10 years (no that's so far away). What if Ji Eun changed her mind and didn't want to get married anymore? 

"Why are you worried about marriage? Let's begin by asking her on a date! First things first." he mumbled to himself. He looked at the Naruto wallclock in his bedroom: almost 00 o'clock. He chuckled when memories of texting Ji Eun late at night came back in his mind. His dog Gureum hopped on his bed and cuddled next to him. 

**_" Hey, feel free to text me_ ** **_whenever you are available and ready to go on a date with me._ ** **_I'm just asking for one day with you, even one night if that's all your schedule allows. Yours patiently, JK"_ **

He sent the text then panicked: what if she said ok for just one day and then Big Hit will refuse to reschedule some of his work. Oh shit! 

Ji Eun replied ten minutes later: **_" Hi, hmm ok for a date, I'm quite busy right now but what about this friday night?"_**

Wait, that was in three days. He expected her to say let's meet up in two weeks. 

_**"Sounds perfect for me"**_ he sent back, feeling relieved 

_**"Ok, I'll ask Heechul oppa about discreet restaurants or date spots."** _

**_"Can we please go to your place or mine? I still don't feel comfortable eating or drinking things prepared by outside people. Sorry..."_ **

**_" Okay that's more than fine for me too"_ **

**_"Thanks! Good night Jieun, sweet_ ** **_dreams_ ** _**"** _

**_" Thanks Kookie, night night too. xoxo "_ **

Jungkook went to sleep with a huge smile on his face.

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

He rang her apartment doorbell, arranged his hair and waited for her to open the door. He said goodbye to his driver/bodyguard who took the elevator and went home to his family. Big Hit was monotoring his movements for safety purpose so he couldn't go anywhere without telling them. A private driver will take him back home tonight.

" Hi" she greeted him with a smile that gave him so much hope.

" Hi ! I brought enough ingredients to make two homemade pizzas and a dessert." He said while entering her home for the first time in months. Nothing changed, she just added another plant in the living room.

" Great !! Are you also going to make the dough? I have flour and everything you need."

" Oh I brought tortillas and toppings for the pizzas."

" Tortilla for pizzas? I never tried ! Ok so where do we begin?" Ji Eun put an apron and washed her hands.

" I'm going to do to the cooking, you can sit here and just enjoy. Today is about spoiling you !"

" So I'm just gonna sit and watch you do all the work?" She asked, a bit unsure

" Exactly! You can set the table if you want."

" Do you want at least to have a drink before starting?"

" Do you have banana milk?" He asked with a teasing smile. She laughed out loud.

" I was expecting you to say a beer or a soda not banana milk! Of course as their ambassador, I have plenty in the fridge." She gave him one and she took one for herself.

He started making the tortilla pizzas, hoping it would be good. He cooked this recipe several times before so he was pretty sure of the process, it wasn't really hard. Ji Eun just sat in the counter and watched him. He put the first pizza in the oven and turned around, she had a pensive look.

" Something's bothering you?" He inquired

" No... Well yes, it's not bothering me...seeing you being so comfortable in my kitchen is...how can I say it? This doesn't feel like a date, it rather looks pretty normal to me: it's like we're both coming home after a long day of work, I cleaned up a bit the apartment and you passed by the convenient store so you could cook something special for us at home. Is this what it's like to have a normal life? To have someone to care for you at home?"

To be honest that thought never crossed his mind but he understood her point. All the previous times he was in her home: it was during the afternoon or just before they went to a date outside at night. When he was recovering in his apartment and she kinda moved there with him and his mother, they were all busy dealing with the aftermath of his near death experience so he didn't well too much about the domesticity of the situation.

" It feels nice" he admitted " I can picture myself doing this every night."

She just smiled at him and set the table. They ate and talked for three hours about so many things: his family trip in Busan, her desire to try a musical or to play on a theatre show, his first sessions with his psychiatrist, her grandmother's health, his thoughts concerning the members' impending enlistment...

" Thanks, I had a great night." She told him at her door when he was about to leave

" Yeah, text me if you want to do this again"

" How about next friday night?" His heart soared when she proposed another date so quickly. Then he remembered he was busy.

" I would have loved to but we have our last concerts in Seoul friday and saturday."

" Oh right, I forgot ! "   
There was an awkward silence.

" Would it be a bad idea if I sneak up to your concert? I've never been to one and this would be the last time you'll be a full 7 members group before Jin oppa and Yoongi oppa's military service."

Jungkook was stunned by her words. He thought she really wanted to avoid being in the same place as him in public.

" The President will give us an award at the end of the last concert so they put a highly secured VIP box for officials, friends and family. I guess we could say you'll be safe and hidden there. My whole family in Busan is coming. Your presence would mean a lot to me but I thought you wanted to keep things private."

" It's an important night for you and I want to be there to support you. I thought about it a lot and I don't care anymore about what people say. I want to live my life fully and do whatever I want. We don't have to share our private life with the world but I don't want to miss important things in our lives because I'm scared of people's reaction."

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

The concert was coming to an end and they were singing the last song : _We are bulletproof the eternal._

He cried the whole time, looking at Jin and Yoongi, then at Namjoon and Hoseok who will also go at the end of year. Big Hit's plan was to make the maknae line enlists together in two years. The remaining members will focus on their solo careers and prepare for the OT7's return.

They made a speech one by one but they were all getting emotional. Life was so uncertain, will the fans still be there when they will return? Yoongi wondered out loud. Army chanted "yes yes yes" in return and it warmed their hearts.

Jungkook had a hard time gathering his thoughts when it was his turn to speak.

" It's been an incredible journey with all of you. The Map of the soul era has ended and we're also going to tackle new challenges in our lives. I realized recently how short life could be so let's do our best to make happy memories together, to be positive in front of new situations and focus on our own well-beings. I learned along with you how to love myself. Now I need to learn how to take care of myself and to take better care of other people. The journey is not over as the most important thing is to learn to be happy. I just realized a few minutes ago that the most important people in my life are all here tonight:   
\- the members who have been like brothers to me, my dearest hyungs I will miss you a lot  
\- my family: I hope I made you proud, thank you for your unconditional love. I love you too.  
\- some of my friends who helped me to keep my feet on the ground  
\- the staffs that is with us everyday, thank you for your hard work  
\- and of course all of you here. Army, nothing would have been possible without you. Thank you so much, I hope you will keep supporting us."

He bowed down in respect and started sobbing, the emotions too intense to handle. Let it out, let all the emotions out, he remember his doctor's word. So he did that: he let out the gratitude, the love, the frustration, the pride, the fears, the exhaustion, the disbelief, the happiness.

Jimin hugged him and Hobi comforted him.

He couldn't help thinking about his younger self, a teenager with a Busan accent who left his family and went to live in Seoul to pursue his dreams. It all started with a song: IU's _Lost child_ at his first audition 10 years ago and now he was here.

' We made it, baby Kook, look at all the hardships we endured, but we're still here in front of everyone that counts, we realized our dreams, we did well.' he repeated in his mind

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

" Son, I'm so proud of you!" His father exclaimed when they entered the lounging room.

" You were incredible, I couldn't believe it was my baby on that stage in front of so many people. And then the President of South Korea gave you the award. Congratulations!" His mother complimented him

" Yeah it was insane when they all chanted your name: Jeon Jungkook ! Jeon Jungkook! I screamed at the top of my lungs with Jieun noona and Hye Sunie!" His brother patted his back.

His parents hugged him and he teared up at their words.

" Thank you! I hoped you enjoyed the show"

" A bit loud but it was very entertaining. Your grandmother weeped like a child when you bowed in our direction."

Said person tsked at his grandfather and told them her husband embarrassed them by complaining too much about Busan's local authorities to the President himself.

" Well I'm a honest citizen who have the right to ask for change in my city when the opportunity presents itself." Everyone laughed and he saw the other members talking with their respective families.

Small hands wrapped around his waist and he turned around to see Ji Eun. She was wearing a black cap, a pair of specs and a mask. He almost didn't recognize her.

" Hi!" She greeted and lowered her mask

" Hi ! So what did you think?"

" One of the best concert I've ever attended !"

" Jeongmal?" Was she joking?

" Yeah we had so much fun !! I sang along with everyone. My favorite moments were _Black Swan, My time, Make it right, Zero O'clock and Boy with luv._ We even did the fanchant with our Army bombs"

She looked so excited and happy, he smiled and hugged her back.

" Aww you look so cute" he heard his mother coo.

" So you met my grandparents?"

" Yes, your grandfather is so funny, he kept calling me soju girl! And your grandmother said she loved my dramas."

" See you're part of the Jeon family now and we all love you very much"

He couldn't wait for the right moment in the future to make it official. For now they were just starting anew and enjoying their lives the way it was.

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

She canceled their second date because she was sick. He came anyway, his arms full of groceries and medics. She was at first surprised to see him at her door but she eventually let him in. Poor Ji Eun could barely stand on her feet.

" Make yourself at home. I just woke up from ny na...atchoum" she sneezed. He fought the urge to laugh because she looked so cute wrapped in her blanket, her hair in a messy bun. That's when he noticed the scarf.

" Oh that's the scarf my grandmother made. I gave it to you a year ago."

" Yeah it's so helpful. I can't believe I managed to catch a cold in april. It's ridiculous." She replied with a weak voice

" Have you eaten yet?" He asked her

" Not yet. I'm still afraid to order food online and didn't have the strength to cook something."

" Ok I can make you a porridge, do you like that? You can go back to bed if you want to." He expected her to protest but she just thanked him and went to her bedroom.

" Jieun-ah, you should eat a little bit" he tried to gently wake her up one hour later.

" I took the medecine but I still don't feel good. It's getting worse" she moaned

He checked her temperature, she was indeed burning. He took cold compresses in the medkit and started to apply it in her forehead and in her neck. He did it several times, replaced them by new ones but she wasn't getting any better. They already got rid of the blanket because she felt too hot. She tried to take off her pyjama but struggled. She couldn't even lift her arms so he helped her.

" When I was a child and had a fever, my mom always prepared a bath for me. It helps to cool down the temperature and it will make you more comfortable while waiting for the meds to be effective and break the fever."

" We could try that. " she nodded

He went to her bathroom but suddenly realized she didn't have a bathtub but an huge italian shower.

" Jieun-ah, I forgot you don't have a bathtub, can you stand under the shower alone?"

" I don't think I can"

He had an internal debate for several minutes about what he should do. He looked at her, wriggling uncomfortably in her bed, sweating profusely. He couldn't leave her in that state.

" Come on, I will help you in the shower. Can you go in there in your underwear?"

" What's the point? I have to remove them anyway if they are soaked. You have already seen me naked so many times, at this point I just don't care. Help me take them off. You should take off your clothes too, don't want you to be all wet and get sick. I got some of your shirts but no pants or underwear that could fit you."

He just nodded and did as she told, put only a towel around his waist and then took her naked body in his arms and placed her under the water. He held her firmly by her waist while the lukewarm water cascaded upon them.

He didn't know how long they stayed there, he felt her body burning hot under his touch. There were no sexual ulterior motive in his mind and in his body. Ji Eun was sick and he did his best to look out for her. He was too concerned by her physical state to even think about other things while they were both pratically naked in her shower.

" How are you feeling?"

" A bit better but your body heat makes it hotter. Can you please step back a little bit and just give me your hands, I will hold on to them"

" Oh sorry !" He apologized and then released her waist, took a few steps back while making sure she could still stand on her feet.

" Is this okay?" Her grip on his arms felt feeble.

" Yeah, thanks. If I fall, I trust you to catch me, okay?" She tried to smile at him and he didn't know why it was so heartbreaking.

" Of course, I will always be there for you from now on Jieun-ah. I won't let you go, I won't let you fall"

He knew she heard the double meaning of his words.

She felt a bit better after the shower and he changed her bed's linen, helped her put a light nightgown and then put back cold compresses on her body during the night. At some point, he eventually fell asleep horizontally at the end of her bed.

" Kookie-ah" he jumped off the bed when he heard his name

" Hey, how are you?" He rubbed his eyes

" I think we faced the worst of the fever last night. But I still need to rest, I feel so weak."

" Do you want to eat something?"

" Yes, that would be great, thank you."

He gave her a bowl of porridge and he was relieved to see she had enough strength to eat by herself.

" Inna unnie is not in Seoul so I'll call my parents to tell them to come here. I'm sorry, you must have spent a very uncomfortable and long night. You must be tired, yet you still have to go to work."

" It's okay. Don't worry about me, I'm glad you're feeling better." He smiled

" It's all thanks to you. "

" Take care, okay? I need to go, bye Jieun-ah" he gently placed a kiss on her forehead

" Text me when you are free next week okay?"

" All right" He waved her goodbye, called a private driver and quickly went home to get changed before joining the other members in Big Hit's meeting room. He hid his tired face behind his sunglasses and slept throughout half of the meeting.

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

Ji Eun kissed him at the end of their third date. It took him a bit by surprise at first but he ended up kissing her back and deepening the kiss. He missed her soft lips and the way she tasted. 

They were again in her apartment and just like before he came with groceries and they cooked together. She insisted to watch the end of her friend's drama _It's okay to not be okay_. They both cried at the end of the drama for different reasons.

 ** _" Being together torments you. But if you break up, it'll be equally painful. If both options feel like death, wouldn't it be better to suffer together?"_** the psychiatrist told the male lead in the drama and Jungkook weeped

_**" The law of total number of** _ _**misfortunes** _ _**. I heard we all have a set amount of happiness and misfortunes assigned to us. If their lives have been filled with misfortune up till now, it means only happiness awaits them."** _

**_" What the Shadow witch had stolen from them were not their true faces but their courage to find happiness. "_** Ji Eun gave him some tissues as she wiped some of her tears too.

" They began a new journey to find happiness" Jungkook repeated outloud, thinking about the characters' growth but also about their own story. Ji Eun and he both endured a lot of things together in one year of relationship but they finally found the courage to be happy. And that's how she ended up crashing her lips on his.

Jungkook came home that night with a huge smile in his face. It felt like she was finally ready to forgive him.

🕐🕐💜💜💜🕐🕐

Ji Eun's birthday approached and Jungkook begged Sejin to reschedule a late night studio recording for a commercial so he could spend time with her on her special day. He used all the arguments he got:

" Hyung, I worked 12 hours a day for a whole week, I need rest. All I'm asking is just one day, even a few hours on the 16th of may."

" Hyung, I nearly died and now I want to enjoy being alive and in good health. This is my only chance for a long term happiness. Please help me hyung! " That was a bit low but it worked because Sejin called several people to change Jungkook's schedule and gave him back the keys of his car.

" Be very careful okay, I'll cover for you but text me your location if you're not in her apartment. I'm still worried you know, if something happens to you again, I will never forgive myself. "

" Don't worry hyung, I'll be safe and won't do anything problematic."

He picked up Ji Eun at her home at 4pm and told her to put a sports outfit.

Their first destination was a yoga studio. Jiny Young their instructor for the day was waiting for them. Ji Eun looked around, surprised by the setting. 

" Jieun-ah, this is your birthday gift: I know you love yoga so I contacted Jiny seonsaengnim to give you as many lessons of flying yoga and fitness bungee as you want. And it's starting today ! If you don't like it, please tell me ok? I'll think of something else" 

" I wanna try, I heard a lot about it from Yerim-ssi and Twice!"

So they put on the safe belts and the teacher helped them with the bungee rope. The session started with a few easy exercices, then they tried more difficult moves with the rope. They were both having fun, Ji Eun was a bit clumsy at some points but she laughed so much throughout the session.

" Ok now we're going to try to fly" Jiny told them

" Jungkook-ssi please take Jieun-ssi's hands and then go back as far you can, Jieun-ssi will run and you'll help her fly ok? Then it will be Jungkook-ssi's turn to lift his legs and fly and you'll help him, ok? "

" Is it dangerous?" Ji Eun asked, unsure

" Not at all, you'll see it's very fun, just hold tightly to each other's arms." The yoga instructor told them

" Jieun-ah, do you trust me?" Jungkook looked at her in the eyes

" Yes" she nodded and gave him her hands

" Don't worry, I told you I won't let you fall, I won't let you down, never again."

She nodded and he started running back, pulling her with him and using his hands to help her lift up. Ji Eun screamed when she soared in the air.

" Oh my god, I feel like a butterfly"

When the bungee was over, they tried to do aerial yoga. It was more difficult for him as he struggled with the hamac.

He was certain they looked a bit ridiculous from an outsider point of view but they were enjoying themselves and had a fun time.

" Thanks that was so great. I needed that moment to get rid of my stress. I'll definitely book sessions with her."   
Ji Eun told him as they went back to her apartment to have a shower and get changed.

He took from the fridge the food he prepared while he was waiting for her to get ready then advised her to bring something warm for the evening.

He drove to the Golden Blue Marina and they hopped on the private yacht he rented for the night. There was only the captain and the two of them. Everything else was prepared beforehand by the staff: the flowers, the bottle of champagne, the candles. He brought her favorite food including raw livers and omasum. BTS housekeeper looked at him commically yesterday when he kindly asked if she could add raw livers and omasum on their weekly groceries.

" I've worked for you for 4 years and this is the first time I heard one of you eat that." She pointed out. Jungkook blushed because he was honestly disgusted by the thought of eating it but Ji Eun loved it so he decided to include it in their dinner's menu.

So when Ji Eun proposed him some omasum during their dinner, he replied with a mocking smile:   
"Jieun-ah, I may love you but I'm not eating that thing"   
She just shook her head and continued eating.   
" Stop making that face, it's good you know!"   
" No thanks" he stuck his tongue at her and they both laughed

The yacht stopped not too far from Banpo bridge and they watched the rainbow fountain show. The rainbow colored jets looked magnificient over the large bridge, it reflected beautifully on the Han River.

He saw this water and light show once with Bangtan Boys and other trainees during their first year in Seoul. Back then, he dreamt of going back to see it again with his girlfriend one day.

" It's really beautiful. I heard people talk about it but I never had the opportunity nor time to see it" Ji Eun commented in awe next to him.

" I'm glad I could share this moment with you. Happy birthday !"

He handed her the last gift: a little white bunny plushie and a birthday card.   
She smiled back at him and he couldn't tell what was the more mesmerizing: the rainbow bridge behind them or Ji Eun's beautiful smiling face.

He held her in his arms as they enjoyed the spring fireworks in Seoul.

He drove her home, tried to say goodbye at her doorstep but she kissed him and they both stumbled into her apartment.

Her hands roamed in his hair, then inside his shirt towards his abs and he moaned in her mouth, his arousal rising at her touch.

His entire body was burning with desire. He looked at her and recognized the lust in her eyes.

" Jieun-ah, are you sure ?" He still asked in case. He didn't want to pressure her or make her regret rushing things due to their wild hormones and the heat of the moment. 

" I've never been so sure of a decision." She lowered the thin straps of her dress. He gulped as it dropped on the floor in a pool of tissues. His eyes went up to marvel at her body and his hands teased the edge of her red thong.

" I'm afraid we won't make it to the bedroom. What are you waiting for?" She whispered in his ear and bit his lobe.

" You're going to be the death of me" he whispered back as he took off his own clothes and pushed her on her dinner table.

He didn't sleep that night, mostly because they had sex on her dinner table, then on her couch to finish in her bed, partly because he was still high from going to cloud nine several times and couldn't find sleep and maybe because she also told him she had the best orgasms of her life. And that fact alone made him smile like a fool madly in love.

" I love you Lee Ji Eun" he murmured in the dark

" I love you too Jeon Jungkook" she mumbled back


	39. Give you my heart

" Jieunie, you should see this, it's making a buzz online" her stylist Noh Joo Hee entered the Edam Entertainment lounging room.

Ji Eun watched on the phone a video where BTS presented a new smartphone for a korean brand during a press conference.

"Joo Hee unnie, what's this?" she asked a bit confused

"Wait for it, they did a press conference this morning, the question is coming."

Indeed, a journalist had the audacity to ask Jungkook about the status of their relationship and to pry some information about their break-up.

" What a jerk!" Ji Eun exclaimed, enraged by the journalist's indiscretion.

"Just wait for your darling's reply" Joo Hee told her.

Several people in the audience gasped, Jin nearly chocked on his water, Jungkook took the mic and coldly said: " We're here to promote this amazing product so I don't see how your question is relevant to our subject today. We're not here to talk about my private life, next question please."

"Mic drop! That's how you reply to those assholes" Joo Hee cheered from her chair.

Ji Eun smiled and sent a text to her boyfriend: **_" Well done, I'm proud of you for shutting down that jerk's mouth."_**

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

The pre-enlistment party for Jin and Yoongi was in full swing when Ji Eun arrived in BTS's dorm. She recognized other idols, probably Jin's friends: Hani (Exid), Moonbyul (Mamamoo), Sandeul and Baro from B1A4, Ken (Vixx). She greeted them and thanked Sandeul for his recent cover of her song _Dear Name._ She made fun of Jin's new buzz haircut, it was weird to see him this way. He later cracked up when he saw the box full of artificial fishing baits she gifted him and hugged her.

She looked around to see if she should greet other people. Yoongi once told her he didn't have a lot of friends. Only his brother and Suran came and she felt a little bad for him. At least Big Hit producing team were present and she spotted his girlfriend Adora.

"I'm sure you'll make a lot of new friends in the military" she tried to reassure Yoongi and give him his farewell gift: a ukulele that he could take in his suitcase and play when he will have free time.

"I hope so, I'm afraid they will treat me differently." he admitted

" People unfortunately tends to see us as celebrities first but I know you'll be able to see who will be genuine in their words and their actions and who will see you as Min Yoongi their comrade and not Suga from BTS."

"Thanks Jieunie, take care of yourself and of Jungkook while I'm away, okay? No more fights please"

" Don't worry about us, we'll be fine. I'll help him keep his head above the water."

They spent the night eating, dancing and doing karaoke. Jin, Taehyung and Ji Eun reenacted their team's celebratory dance with Bbibbi after they won a game of darts. They were all a bit drunk but Jimin still suggested to play a drinking game and they settled on the "image game". Each player wrote anonymously on a paper something descriptive like "the most likely to get drunk first" or "had the most girlfriend/boyfriend" and then the players will take turn to pick one random paper and read it outloud. Everyone then points at the person they think fits the description the most. The one who will receive the most votes must drink a shot.

She sat across Jungkook and next to Adora. Hobi was the first to pick a paper.

" Who does the weirdest things in public?" Hobi read loudly "1, 2, 3!" Everyone pointed at someone, Ji Eun chose Jungkook but Taehyung ended up taking the first shot of tequila. The game went on with funnier facts. For example, they all thought Ji Eun was the richest among all of them, Hani and Jimin were tied for the one who will embarrass themselves in front of their crush so they both drank. BTS producer Pdogg was most likely to forget important birthdays.

Then it was Moonbyul's turn to pick a paper: "Who's the most likely to get married first?" "1,2,3!" 

Jin's friends pointed at him or at each other, Suran and Min Geum Jae chose Yoongi, but everyone else pointed a finger at Ji Eun and Jungkook as their close friends and coworkers knew they were back together. They all burst out laughing when they realized the kooku couple won.

An already tipsy Jungkook looked at her with a mischevious smile as he rose his shot of tequila in the air: "Hey noona, do you wanna marry me?"

Several persons gasped around them, Ji Eun hid her face in her hands as her body trembled with laughter and embarrassement. But she quickly made up her mind and decided to play along. She poured herself a drink, looked at Jungkook in the eyes and said "YES" as she clinked their glasses and they drank the shots. She heard screams of joy, laughters and catcalls around them.

Did her life could get any better ? She wished they could be carefree and just be like this : behaving like normal young adults having fun with their friends. She laughed as she caught Jungkook wink at her.

' Pabo, it's crazy how I freaking love you' she thought

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

**_@hobi:_** Special thanks to Jiminie for proposing the image game, to Namjoonie for writing that getting married question and to everyone else for pointing at our favorite bunny couple. We accidentally caused a big positive outcome with that game !!

 ** _@leehyori_** : Wait! Did I miss something? Tell me everything !!

 ** _@_** ** _worldwidehandsomejin_** : Our babie Kookie spontaneously popped the big question last night to Jieunie while we were all drunk

 ** _@yeojingoo_** : OMG !! 💕🍾🎉

 ** _@taetae_** : Well it was for fun. It was a joke, isn't it?..omo...omo...🙀🐰🐰😱

 ** _@yooinna_** : Jieunie laughed when she told me about it this morning. I don't think she took it seriously. What about Jungkook-ssi?

 _ **@joon**_ _ **ie**_ : he told us it wasn't a real proposal

 _ **@jimin**_ _ **ie**_ : What??? I was already ready to pick up my groomsmen suit for their wedding! 😭😭😭

 ** _@yoongi_** : You're too naive Jiminie, I'm worried about you. How would you fare when the eldest members will be away for two years? Who will look after you?

 ** _@taetae_** : the most important thing is she said yes anyway so that means kooku is back for good and sailing towards happiness and marriage in the future. I love good love stories with a happy ending .🚢🌅

 ** _@yeojingoo_** : and I love V hyung's enthusiasm. Go Kooku !

 _ **@hobi**_ : Don't worry Yoongi hyung, we'll ask Jeongyeon-ssi or maybe Seulgi-ssi to look after our Jiminie

@ _ **leehyori**_ : Are you talking about Twice's Jeongyeon and Red Velvet's Seulgi ? Wow just spill all the gossips !

 ** _@jimin_** _ **ie**_ : Can you please leave me alone with that subject? 😭😡

@ ** _joonie_** : Ok we'll stop teasing you

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

 **Subject** : _**Do you guys think JK and IU now hate each other after their break up?**_

A lot of people are talking about it online. I'm not an anti kooku, on the contrary I thought they looked good together. I just saw some pictures and videos that made me wonder about it. Here's a summary of what I read online from different sources :

1/ JK was rushed in the hospital because he fainted after SBS's show, IU disappeared from SNS and canceled all public appearances (she was supposed to be at KBS Gayo and MBC Gayo) and then 3 weeks later, they broke up much to everyone's suprise.

2/ At their performance for GDA, JK had a hard time singing their duet and they both seemed really absorbed by the song. I think we were all shocked when he stopped singing and cried then IU covered for him. If you watch the replay he cried after she tried to smile at him. I wondered what happened between them but their separation looked like it wasn't amicable.

3/ Many Army noticed that Jungkook looked really down in BTS recent videos and public appearances. Jimin and Jin even shared on vlive that they were concerned about the maknae but didn't state the reason. We all guessed it was because of their break up. JK was not very active on SNS before but now it looks like he completely disappeared. He posted one selfie in weverse in 6 months and it's been almost 10 months since his last vlive. That lone selfie had a cryptic meaning: 'I'm sorry'. Who was he apologizing to? Army? IU?

4/ In february, BTS posted their playlist on Spotify. Among the songs JK listened to, there were: Sorry (Justin Bieber), Eyes nose lips (Taeyang), Paper hearts (Tori Kelly), Black and Crooked (Gdragon), Beautiful goodbye (Chen), Shadow and Fake love (BTS). Do you know the common theme of those songs: break-up, regrets concerning their exes, remembrance of their time together, anger/frustration over a situation.

5/ I heard from a friend that works in a radio show where IU guested that she asked to see the questions beforehand and forbid any personal subjects.

6/ JK looked really angry when the journalist asked a question about his relationship with IU, as if he didn't want to hear her name anymore.

7/ IU did a live recently, she sang all the fans' song requests except _From Lily with love._ Did the song remind her too much of Jungkook?

It was like she wanted to move on from him completely. We never knew who dumped who or if it was a mutual decision. The only thing we know is they broke up because of their busy schedule.

What do you think?

\--------------

 _ **@**_ _ **tifflim**_ : Hi!! I also saw a lot of speculation online especially on twitter, fancafes and quora. I don't believe one second that their relationship ended well. They looked uncomfortable around each other at GDA, the other BTS members too. But they still cheered when _Eight_ won song of the year. Maybe it was just because of Suga. Don't know.

 _ **@koya3456**_ : yeah I've never seen Jungkook be angry like that on public. If looks could kill, that journalist would have burnt instantly. For me it looks like they can't stand each other anymore. Happens a lot in relationships.

@ _ **kangjiji**_ : I'm so heartbroken, I don't want to believe they hate each other. He said months ago that IU was the one for him and they looked genuinely happy in all the videos. What happened to that sweet couple? 😭😭😭

 _ **@stellargirl98**_ : I have a theory: maybe they never broke up for real and this is only a way to get the haters off IU's back. In reality they might keep dating in secret.

 _ **@thisisserendipity**_ : well from what I've seen: Jungkook looks like he has done something he regrets and is sorry. Some songs on his playlist suggested he wanted her back. IU smiled at him at GDA, maybe she wasn't that angry at him or maybe she just tried to be professional. I'm confused as much as all of you. I also noticed one strange thing recently: IU and some Seventeen members were guests on Knowing Bros. She looked rather close with JK's friends Mingyu and Dokyeom. Some fanvideos showed how Seventeen members tried to protect IU and acted as her bodyguard when they left the show and a huge crowd waited for them outside. Why would they be so nice to the ex girlfriend of their close friend if she broke his heart?

 _ **@xxtemptationxo**_ : JK sounded cheerful this week during Suga's radio show on YouTube. He was super talkative and laughed a lot. A friend (who is unfortunately a BTS sasaeng) showed me a picture of JK leaving Big Hit HQ yesterday and he was wearing his couple ring with IU. They saw him drive his car several time to IU's neighborhood. I'm sure they're back together. That friend also told me that some of the hardcore sasaengs and persons on Big Hit blacklist were sued, some were arrested and received a restraining order for stalking and harrasment. The agency threatened to file a complaint against anyone who would be caught following the boys and police are now making rounds around Big Hit HQ and Hannam Hill to scatter the fans who wait there.

@ _ **pluiedhiver :**_ we should respect the fact that they don't want to talk about their private life

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Time passed in a blink of an eye and it was already summer. They both decided to do a 7 days road trip in Scotland (a decision they took after watching travel vlogs. Their schedule didn't allow them to go on the same plane so Jungkook arrived in Edinburgh first in the morning and Ji Eun's plane landed that night. However it gave him time to pick the rented camping car and to familiarize with the driving on the left side. Thank God Jungkook did this once in New Zealand. It eased Ji Eun's worries about their trip.

She loved Edinburgh especially the old town. They explored the city for two days: going to pubs and coffee shops, buying Harry Potter's merchs, visiting museums and castles and went to Calton Hill the last night to watch the sunset and the fireworks.

They took the road toward the Highlands and it was best part of the trip. Scotland offered beautiful sceneries with all the lakes that were called lochs and the green vegetation surrounding the road. They made several stops on the road to take pictures, to get rest and enjoy the scenery. They slept in the camping car, they cooked korean dishes there too and went sometimes to restaurants to taste local food (she loved haggis and black pudding). Jungkook bought Scott whiskey for his personal collection and gifts for their families and friends. It was a fun adventure together.

They didn't stay long in Inverness and went straight to the Isle of Skye. It was probably one of the most beautiful place she has ever seen. Ji Eun found inspiration for songs in little things: the green landscape and foggy/rainy weather, the intriguing mountains, the incredible waterfall at the edge of the cliff in Mealt Falls, Jungkook's snores at night when he was asleep and the sound of the raindrops on the car's roof .

Nobody gave a damn about who they were here. It was a strange sensation to be anonymous and feel carefree outside for the first time in years: no fans, no staffs, no cameras, no curious eyes.

They installed the camping car in front of a lake then Jungkook went for a run around the lake and in the forest while she read a book on the grass. While they were happy to spend time together and get to know each other even better, they also needed time alone to reflect on their own issues, do solo activities and just breathe. They slowlyl mended one by one the broken things in their relationship.

They did a bit of trekking with a local guide. She wasn't used to those type of activities but she enjoyed it and Jungkook helped her a lot. It was a great challenge and she was ecstatic when she arrived at the top and saw the view over the Old Man of Storr.

" I've never felt so peaceful" Jungkook told her one night as they sat outside, wrapped in a blanket, watching the stars and listening to the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.

" Me too. There's no camera, no people analyzing everything we do and say."

" There's only us: Jeon Jungkook and Lee Jieun, no IU and BTS's Golden maknae. I am slowly making peace with those two sides of my life. I'm trying to take a more positive approach of my life as an idol instead of dwelling on the bad aspects. I don't have to be perfect and to live up to high expectations. I just have to do my job the best I could and learn again to take pleasure in singing, being on stage, dancing, making music, interacting with fans. I'm still learning how to stand up for myself, to say no when it's too much, to rest when I'm tired, to listen to my needs and emotions and most importantly to let Jeon Jungkook live his life as a 24 years old man." He told her with a smile

" I'm glad to hear you say that. I still got a lot to learn too when it comes to loving myself, enjoying my life instead of worrying about my career but we're both making good progression. I'm proud of us" Ji Eun patted her head and Jungkook did the same with himself and then hers.

" Do you want to play guitar and sing? I think like this is the right setting: the ocean, the starry night, the peaceful atmosphere."   
He nodded and the came back later with two guitars.

" What song do you wanna sing? I don't know how to play many songs, my repertoire is still limited. " Jungkook winced

" What about _Give_ _you my heart_? It's quite simple"  
She showed him the main chords, he was a quick learner, that fact still amazed her no matter how many times she witnessed it. They started singing, hearts free of burdens and minds feeling at peace.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

 _ **Hello this is Big Hit Entertainment and Edam Entertainment. There were many rumors circulating online concerning IU and BTS member Jungkook. Regarding the rumor about discords between them: those allegations are absolutely unfounded, we can affirm that both artists are in good terms.**_  
 _ **Regarding the dating rumor, we checked with our respective artists and none of them want to adress this issue about their personal lives. We ask for your understanding.**_ _ **Thank**_ _ **you**_.

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

The global coronavirus pandemia caused every company to reconsider their plans for their artists. Instead of doing big concerts, she planned fan meetings in smaller venue to respect sanitary precautions and uploaded a lot of content online.

She didn't have dramas nor movies to film so she concentrated on writting new music and preparing new projects (Ji Eun passed two auditions for a musical show). Something Jungkook encouraged her to do. She disabled the comment section of Instagram, stopped reading comments on Twitter, YouTube, Naver and it felt liberating.

He focused on working on his new mixtape and preparing for the Vminkook subunit's debut. She consoled him when Namjoon and Hoseok went to the army. His schedule was less packed and it was a nice change for him and even for her because Jungkook spent most of his free time with her, much to her delight.

The idea of living together permanently came when Jungkook texted her to say he was coming to her apartment because he forgot his wallet and passeport in her bedroom. He thought they were in the dorms but it wasn't there. She chuckled because he had the tendency to forget things in her home: clothes, important documents, his favorite shoes, his laptop. He spent the night in her home two or three times a week so those things were bound to happen.

" Our dorm's lease is coming to an end in december. Big Hit is wondering if we should renew it. All of us have our own apartments now even if we don't use them frequently. It's strange to be at home without the older members. And Taehyungie has a new girlfriend now and he needs privacy. I think it's time for us to live separately."

" Why don't you move in with me?" She suggested

" What??" He exclaimed, almost falling from his chair

" You already spend a lot of time here with me. You barely go to your dorms and your apartment. It makes sense at least to me to live together. What do you think about it?"

" Wow, that's a big step in our relationship." He mumbled then sat down again, still trying to graps the implication of living together.

" Yeah I know, I'm scared too but it feels like it's the right moment for us."

Ji Eun gave him time to think about it, she also shared her excitement and fears to Yoo Inna and Lee Hyori who both gave her advices.

It happened on a cold night in november, she filmed a commercial in Gangnam and was eager to go home to warm up and finally rest after a long day of work.

Her phone chirped signaling a new text from her boyfriend.

 **" Hi!** **Just** **got back in Seoul a few hours ago, I was soooo tired,** **I'm** **home. Have you finished ?** "

She just replied " **Yeah I just finished! Take care my love😘** 😘"

She closed her eyes in the car and tried to sleep in vain.

She opened her door and jumped in suprise when she saw Jungkook sleeping on her couch, several luggages were aligned in her living room.

" What are you doing here? I thought you were heading straight at home after your travel?" She asked perplexed

" Sometimes you're so smart and then there are times when you're really dense. Don't you see those luggages? Jieun-ah, this apartment is what I will call home from now on."

" Kookie-ah, are you serious?"

" Of course, this is home now, I wanna wake up and see your face every morning, cook delicious meals for you, clean up the apartment with you, bicker about meaningless things, go to bed every night with you (at least when one of us is not on a business trip). Home is wherever you are Jieun-ah."

She jumped in his arms and kissed him fiercely.

" I'm not dreaming, right?"

"Nope, do you want me to pinch you, just to check?" He mocked her. Her emotions were too intense to find a proper witty reply.

" I'm so happy" she whispered against his lips.

" Me too, I can't wait to start a new chapter with you. The rest of my stuffs will come this weekend. Hey, you'll help me unpack right?"

" Of course, pabo"


	40. Everyday with you/Heartbeat

_**Feb** _ **. 2022**

Jungkook quietly opened the door of their apartment after taping the code, he dropped his duffle bag on the floor and took off his shoes to put on his favorite slippers. It's only then that he noticed the lingering smell of mushrooms, meat and garlic in the air.

"Jieun-ah, I'm home !" he spoke loudly to alert her of his presence. One time he didn't announce himself and she shrieked in surprise and fear, startled to see someone in the living room.

"Hi baby, welcome back home! Congratulation for your Grammy performance! You nailed it! " Ji Eun ran to him and pecked him on the lips. He smiled and kissed her back, happy to see her again.

"Are you hungry? Because there's a lot of Italian food here waiting to be devoured."

"Oh yeah, I'm famished, they served the airplane's dinner at 7pm, that was 4 hours ago and it was so tiny. I swear the more expensive the food is, the less quantity they served." He told her as he took a seat on the table.

He chuckled when he saw the quantity of creamy garlic mushroom spaghetti Ji Eun put on his plate.

"It's really delicious. Are you sure you cooked this?"

Ji Eun looked at him as if she was offended by his question, which was half a joke because he wanted to annoy her a little bit but he also doubted she could have cooked such a delicious Italian meal.

" Are you doubting my cooking skills?" she asked, giving him a pursed lips look. Her mood oscillated between playfulness and mock anger.

"Yes" he replied, looking straight back at her. Their eyes stayed locked for a few more seconds, challenging each other until she burst out laughing.

" I really thought I could fool you but you're right, I picked it up at my favorite Italian restaurant in Itaewon."

"I knew it, you're a decent cook and you can sometimes surprise me with your meals but this was just too good." He laughed at her

"Don't know if I should be offended or happy by what you just said but I still love you" she stuck her tongue at him. She asked details about his performance with V and Jimin at the Grammy Awards ceremony. He shared funny stories backstage and from the after party where he met Hollywood's biggest celebrities.

" I recorded a video of myself and Justin Bieber singing _10 000 hours_." He showed her the footage

"Daebak!! I'm so happy for you."

He put the plates in the dish washer while she talked about her recent trip to Milan for a Gucci fashion show. He opened the cabinet with the cleaning supplies but didn't found what he was looking for.

"Oh we don't have detergent anymore for the dishwasher, I'll put it on the list of groceries."

"A light bulb also needs to be replaced in the bathroom. Could you please put that on the list too? I'll go take a shower." Ji Eun left him alone as he wrote the items on the list. They both had to adapt to the joy and the restraints of living together. It was hard at first to establish a routine as they both were very busy and sometimes couldn't be home for several days nor at the same time. Sometimes she had late night filming and only went home at 4 am. Him on the other hand he had to wake up at 6 am to take a flight, so they were days where they barely saw each other. They established a few rules like having at least two dinners together at home per week, regardless of the days and depending of their schedules. The first one home would make dinner and the other one would clean up afterwards.

He was exhausted and couldn't wait to fall asleep with her in his arms. He missed her the 6 days he was away in Los Angeles. He went to the bathroom after her to get ready to go to bed and joined her under the bedsheets, over the moon when Ji Eun cuddled him and hooked a leg over his.

"Jieun-ah" he whispered in the dark

"Hmm?" she mumbled

"I just wanted to say that I'm happy." It was nice to sleep next to her again after almost a week away. 

"I'm happy too, thanks to you" she mumbled back. Jungkook smiled and kissed her temple.

**April** **2022**

The lights were dimmed and everything was calm, except for the curtains flowing in from the open window and Jungkook's snores.

Her heart skipped a beat in fear when she saw him on the hospital bed. It reminded her too much of the bad memories after his poisoning.

" Kookie-ah ?" She asked gently, sitting on the edge of his bed.

" Hey, what... happened ?" His confused eyes looked around the room

" Sejin oppa called me to say you had severe cramps in your abdomen and you were exhausted. You fainted soon after. I came here as soon as I heard"

" Oh...I remember now."

" I should have known something was wrong with you. You lost appetite and complained a lot about being exhausted the last two weeks."

" Jagiya, how is that your fault? I should have taken better care of myself and consulted a doctor."

" I know but I still feel guilty."

" It's alright" he reassured her and she felt even more guilt at being the one who was consoled when Jungkook was lying sick in a hospital bed.

The doctors were nonetheless surprised when they saw IU in Jungkook's room. Ji Eun left the room to let them ran tests on her boyfriend. She hid in her black van to avoid being seen and talked to Jihwan about changing appointments in her schedule to spend more time at home for Jungkook's recovery. She came back in his room one hour later when he was having his lunch. A doctor knocked on his door a few hours later and entered the room with a big fold in her hand.

" I'm sorry, I have to do an update with the patient about his condition." The woman said, smoothing nervously the wrinkle in her white blouse.

" Can she stay? I don't think my brain can keep up with all the medical informations right now. She's s going to have to be informed about my condition anyway " Jungkook said

" Of course! Well, we got the test's results. The inflammation of your liver caused by the ingestion of cyanide slowly lead to the formation of scar tissue which we call a liver fibrosis. Usually a liver heals on its own after an attack but in your case it didn't happen that way so we need to medically boost its regeneration to improve your health. "

Ji Eun tried to digest the informations : something about regulating hepatic cells, a therapy to enhance the regenerative capacity of the liver, no more alcohol for a few years, a controled diet to avoid further issues on the liver and just let time soften and heal the scars.

Jungkook was discharged two days later and had to go back to the hospital from time to time for treatment and follow-ups.

She took the opportunity to get rest at home and spend time with him. Their current favorite activity was playing guitar. He had a preference for her black Crafter Mercury guitar and spent a lot of time learning new songs.

" What song are you playing ?" She asked him as she prepared the beef cooked with butter.

" _Lost stars_ by Maroon 5"

" I like it ! " She let the meat cook in the pot, took her favorite guitar and sat next to him.

She mused over the right song to play and sang the first verse of _Everyday with you_ because it described best her current mood: days filled with love, freshness and simple things. He looked at her as if the lost stars he sang about earlier were found back in her eyes.

  
_**May** _ **2022**

Lee Hyori and Lee Sangsoon invited everyone at their home in Incheon for her birthday and for the celebration of their son's birth. Caring for a newborn baby was a high maintenance task and the little guy was driving his parents crazy but he was adorable when he was asleep or when he cooed back at the visitors. Ji Eun and Jungkook stayed the weekend at Incheon along with Rain, Kim Tae Hee and their two cute daughters.

They agreed to entertain the girls for a few hours so the parents could get a little rest. They played tag, hide and seek, he even let the girls braid and put butterfly clips in his hair much to Ji Eun's delight. The eldest daughter who was 5 years old was so smart and looked so much like her mother, Jungkook couldn't help being impressed.

The day playing outside had worn the kids out so the girls went back inside to go to bed while Ji Eun and Jungkook went for a walk in the beach. He remembered how he felt the last time they were here: it was only the beginning of their romance and their first weekend together. Back then, he was beyond thrilled to share the romantic moment with his freshly declared girlfriend aka the girl of his dream. He was also still a bit dumbfounded that she shared back his feelings. A lot happened in the meantime: good and bad things. Now there were here again, on the same beach in Incheon, hands clasped together, her head resting on his shoulder as they admired the Yellow Sea and the orange sun.

She was the first one to speak.

"It's a bit silly but seeing their house full of life, laughter and the mess created by the kids made me realize how badly I wanted that too." She spoke softly, as if she was afraid to admit those things.

He understood what she was talking about because he felt it too: the longing, the happiness, the good kind of exhaustion after a day full of laughter with the kids, the frustration upon seeing the house being a mess at the end of the day when everything was perfectly neat the morning. The decision was now clearer than ever in his mind.

" So why don't we work on that? We already know we want to spend the rest of our lives together, so let's make it official, let's get married! " He looked at her in the eyes, watching closely her reaction.

" Are you serious?" she chuckled in disbelief

"Yeah I'm deadly serious! Marry me? " he sang the last words in the same tune as "remedy" from Jamais Vu, making her laugh. His hands slowly cradled her face and he wiped the tears that started to run on her cheeks.

" I wanna grow old with you, be able to call you my amazing wife and start a family with you. Remember what you said, we're stuck with each other until we become grumpy halmeoni and halabeoji. You and I we'll be the best team. I love you so freaking much sometimes it feels like my heart will burst out of my chest. Nothing will ever change that. We've been living together for 6 months and I want everyday for the rest of our lives to be like that. Give me one reason this isn't a a good idea?"

"Well your snores are so loud at night"

"What??" he exclaimed and rolled on the sand laughing. He didn't expect her to say that.

" Ok, since we're complaining, I'm not a cleaning maniac but I just wanna say your little tendency to forget to pick up your clothes after putting them everywhere in the house is sometimes getting on my nerves."

" What? I've never realized I did that. I'm not messy! " She muttered out loud with a frown

" Yesterday you changed your outfit twice before we went here and you left the clothes on the floor."

" You're the one who complained we were getting late so I didn't have time to hang them back in my closet."

"Ok, so other than that, do you have objections?" he smiled at her

"Nope! Of course, I wanna marry you, pabo. Come here" she grabbed his collar and crashed her lips on his. Did she say yes?

This time he was the one who shed tears when he realized the love of his life just agreed to marry him.

**Sept. 2022**

They kept the preparation of their wedding low-key for five months. They hired a wedding planner, giving her the concept and the main requirements, trusting her with the details because they both didn't have time to think about the small things like the color of the flower's arrangement or the exact menu.

Their parents worked with the wedding planner concerning the ceremony and reception preparation. Jungkook's family went to her parents' house to officially ask for her hand and for their blessing. It was customary to let the parents invite whomever they wanted but Ji Eun and Jungkook didn't want to have 500 guests at their wedding so they only sent invitations to their families and close friends in august, asking for everyone's discretion over the matter. The last thing they needed was paparazzis and overly curious fans to disturb their wedding.

He was nervous as hell on the big day. He was really afraid he would cry during the whole thing. How embarrassing it would be to have people remember their wedding as the one where the groom cried like a baby during one hour. It didn't begin yet and he was already emotional. He didn't sleep at all last night, turning in their bed, overthinking the same things.

They choose the Shilla Hotel thanks to their top security and also because Ji Eun found it lovely to have the ceremony outside at night in front of the hanok.

He joined his parents to greet the guests in the lobby while Ji Eun took photos with the guests in the bridal room. It was a miracle everyone was present despite their busy schedules: his 97 liners friends were all present along all his non-celebrities friends and Big Hit's staff. Yeo Jingoo came with Kim Yoo Jung but Jungkook didn't have enough time to ask his friend if she was his date or just a long time friend. Eric Nam was the only person on his side who couldn't come due to his work in the States. Ji Eun's friends alone represented more than half of the guest lists (75 % were celebrities), something she was a bit embarrassed about because she was the one who was adamant about having a small wedding. He found it cute whenever she added a new name on the list and then sighed upon seeing the number of guests.

He hadn't seen her yet in her wedding dress. Ji Eun's father insisted to walk her down the aisle (something he apparently dreamed to do after seeing it in many movies) so Jungkook had to be patient and wait for her in the bridal stage.

He watched as his mother and his mother-in-law walked down the aisle in their pink and purple hanbok. They took turn to lit the candles that will light up the darkness and bring happiness to their children.

He made his way to the front and bowed to the officiant and the guests. Jin who was the MC of the wedding ceremony called the bride to enter.

Everyone stood up and Jungkook tried to count to three to calm down. Hana, dul, set, hana, dul, set...hana, oh shit!

There she was: a graceful and dazzling angel in white, smiling shyly at him. The vulnerable look on her face made his heart falter because it was such a rare sight. Ji Eun was a strong woman, the only time he saw her with the same expression was when she was worried about him and her family. Even if she did not say the words, he understood all too well what her eyes said: " I destroyed the walls I built around myself and I gave you my heart. I trust you to take good care of it as I will do with yours, forever."

He didn't realize she was already beside him until her father hugged her tightly. Jungkook bowed to him and Ji Eun's father patted his shoulders.

" She's the most precious thing I have in this world and it's harder than I thought to let her go but I know you're exactly the person she deserves and I'm so thankful for the way you make her happy ." Her father whispered to him. Jungkook couldn't hold back anymore his tears, touched beyond measure by his words.

" Jinsimeuro gamsadeurimnida "   
Jungkook knelt on the floor and made a very formal bow to show his respect and gratitude.

Jin read the introduction about love, hardships, commitment and destiny, words Jungkook wrote with the help of his BTS brothers.

Kim Eana read what she prepared with Ji Eun about happiness, family, trust and faith in the power of love.

The sound of his heartbeat rang in his ears and his hands trembled as they recited the vows to love, support and respect each other forever, for better and for worse. They used the couple rings Ji Eun gave at his birthday as wedding rings.

The officiant read the marriage declaration and in a blink of an eye, Ji Eun and Jungkook were officially married. They gave each other the sweetest kiss of their relationship, embarrassed to do more in front of their loved-ones. His lips pressed gently on hers and she applied back a soft pressure. The kiss in itself wasn't that important, it was the way her eyes shined with love and happiness when they both looked at each other that took his breath away. Lee Ji Eun was from now on his wife and Jungkook still couldn't believe it.

The officiant gave a final speech about what being married implies and then Jin announced the nuptial songs and performances. The newlyweds had no idea what their loved-ones prepared so Ji Eun gasped in surprise when the whole IU team went on the special stage on the left to show a video compilation of Ji Eun since childhood to this day while they sang _Meaning of you_. It was musically off but so adorable. Ji Eun was now fully crying and he squeezed her shoulders to comfort her.

" I'm usually the one who performs the nuptial song. I did it at least at 7 of the staff weddings in 14 years. It feels so weird and touching to see them do it at mine." His wife told him. They did a huge group hug with Ji Eun and Jungkook at the end. 

He held his breath when BTS members went on stage. What did they plan? They surely won't embarrass him on his wedding day right? Hell, they were totally capable of doing that, upon further reflection.

They launched a video showing his baby pictures with _Mikrokosmos_ as a soft background music, the audience cooed and he wanted to hide his face in his hands. Namjoon's voice narrated a story about a young boy with his head in the clouds, who loved looking at the stars and had many dreams he thought were unreachable. But the boy still took his chances (they showed snippets of his first audition) and the lost child found his path. The boy was also in love with a star who shined brightly in the sky so he worked hard to reach his dreams and secretly hoped it would also be enough to be noticed by his bright star. The boy grew up to be a reliable friend, a grateful son and a talented artist whom received more love than he could have ever dreamed. His lucky star fell in love with his voice and then learned to love him too. Namjoon told them he believed soulmates existed and the universe worked on their individual destinies so the two shining stars could finally be reunited. The rest was history. The videos and photos of Jungkook with his group members, family and Ji Eun kept playing in the background as his brothers by heart sang to them a medley of _Heartbeat_ _,_ Y _oung_ _forever_ and _We_ _are bulletproof : the eternal_.

He wanted to cry and laugh at the same time because:   
1) they will always be his older brothers no matter what, meeting them was one of the best thing that ever happened to him   
2) they really looked ridiculous, crying while singing, wiping tears and snots with the sleeves of their expensive navy blue suits (the matching thing was Jimin's idea). The hyung line still had their buzz haircut from the army so the whole visual impression on stage looked even funnier.   
But he was a crying mess too so he couldn't make fun of them.   
Oh God so much for having a dignified wedding without tears. He hugged each one of them at the end.

The officiant sensing everyone was getting emotional quickly closed the ceremony.

The newlyweds and their parents bowed to each other and to the guests. It took a while to do the photo groups with all the guests and then they were all off to the reception room.

Yoo Huiyeol was the MC for this part to let Jin enjoy fully the rest of the wedding. Jung Hyun advised them to eat quickly before being swept with the inevitable guests roundtables. He will make sure to thank his brother later because going to each table to thank everyone and chitchat a little bit was not an activity to do with an empty stomach. It would be such a waste to not have time to eat at his own wedding.

When everyone was full, Yoo Huiyeol invited Ji Eun and Jungkook on the dance floor for the first dance. Corinne Bailey Rae took the mic and they swayed to the soft notes and lyrics of _Just_ _like a star_.

" **_Just like a star across my sky, j_** ** _ust like an angel off the page_**  
 ** _You have appeared to my life, f_** ** _eel like I'll never be the same_**  
 ** _Just like a song in my heart, j_** ** _ust like oil on my hands, h_** ** _onored to love you_** ** _"_**

The party went wild after several songs. Ji Eun changed into a lighter white dress to dance. He took off his jacket and only kept the fancy shirt and waistcoat to join everyone on the dancefloor.

He didn't have fun like this in a while, probably not since his 24th surprise birthday party.

The music suddenly stopped, the main light went off and the projectors focused on a group of girls standing in the front of the dancefloor. Jiyeon, Inna, Suzy, Hanna danced with cheerleaders pompon. He heard cheers, whistles and claps around them. 

" I can't believe it!! That's _Hey Micky_. They're recreating our performance during SBS Heroes. It was a decade ago!" Ji Eun told him in disbelief.

His jaw dropped a few moments later when Ji Eun excitedly joined her bestfriends to dance to Miss'A _Bad girl, Good girl._ Thank God the aunties, uncles and older parents went home because the performance was a bit too provocative. Ji Eun was smiling and laughing so much, it warmed his heart to see her so happy.

The party died down at 2 am. They sang _Dynamite_ three times,he got thrills everytime he sang " **Cause I, I, I'm in the stars tonight. So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight"**

They were too exhausted so they let Namjoon and Inna deal with the very drunk guests who needed a safe ride home, namely Jaehyun, Jackson, GDragon, Jimin and Kim Soo Hyun.

" It feels unreal to be able to call you my husband. I'm still processing all of this." She said as they laid on the hotel's bed, fancy clothes still on, completely worn out by the day's event.

" Believe me, I totally understand." 

" How are you feeling?"

" Me? It's like I'm high on drugs, my mind and my heart are flying but my body has no energy left."

" I will sue whoever said newlyweds has mindblowing sex on their wedding night. That ain't true at all. I woke up at 6 am yesterday to get everything ready. Now I cannot even lift my hands to get out of this dress." She admitted

" I'll count to three, then we will get up and at least change clothes."

" Arrasseo!" she agreed

" Hana, dul, set" he counted but none of them got up of the bed, which made them giggle

" We're ridiculous!" She laughed, then turned her head towards him, watching him in silence.

" You and I will be fine, right? We'll make this marriage work." Ji Eun told him more seriously

" Of course, we're still the best team. I'm glad we found each other."

" To be honest, sometimes I panic when I think about what does it mean to be someone's wife and then someone's mother. I was desperately looking for an answer. Maybe I should learn to accept that it's okay not to always know everything and not have answers to our questions beforehand. "

" Being married doesn't change drastically our current daily routine. We're still us, we're just officially bound together. And to ease your mind, tell yourself there's a lot of things in this universe that we still don't know about. We'll learn together Jieun-ah. Just think about the stars, all these millions of stars looking down on us, and we've never given them more than a passing thought before. Not just the stars, how many other things haven't we noticed in the world, things we know nothing about? We'll figure it out step by step."

" What you just said was really poetic"

" I cheated a little bit, the last part was a quote from Murakami's Kafka on the shore."

" I should have known it wasn't you" she giggled

" What? Are you doubting my philosophical and poetic skills?"

" Yes" she told him straight in the eyes

" Omo, dear wife, why are you so mean?" He laughed

" That's a payback for that time you doubted my cooking skills" she stuck her tongue at him

" I really need to take off this waistcoat. I can't sleep with it. Give me your hand and we'll both get up for real ok ?"

Five minutes later they finally managed to get rid of their restrictive clothes and collapsed on the bed.

" See, we just overcame our first challenge as a married couple. Easy-peasy!" Jungkook raised his hand to high five her. She responded to his sollicitation with a little laugh.

" I think we drank too much champagne and are too tired. Let's go to sleep, good night my dear husband." 

" Jalja nae sarang!"

🎉💕🐰💕🐰🎉

Ji Eun and Jungkook traveled to Busan for the pyebaek, the traditional wedding ceremony. They chose to wear modernized hanbok: red and grey for her, blue for him. She was surprisingly not at all worried for this ceremony: she witnessed it twice in her life when her cousins got married and her mother explained to her twice what exactly she needed to do. 

She pressed her forehead to her hands and knelt on the floor to perform a deep bow in front of Jungkook's parents. They both did it several times then bowed to his grandparents and finally to her own family. Hye Sun helped her to get back on her feet everytime she struggled with the heavy gown. They drank cups of soju and their respective parents shared wisdom on marriage. Her mother's words about staying strong in front the obstacles were deeply touching.

Jungkook helped her suspend her long skirt as her in-laws threw dried jujubes and chestnuts. Her grandmother yelled in victory when Ji Eun caught 8 fruits. She just chuckled, halmeoni surely wouldn't believe they will have so many children. They took pictures and all ate together. She smacked Jong Hoon's head when she caught him trying to flirt with Jungkook's cousin, her little brother was unbelievable. 

They stayed one more day in Busan to spend time with their families before resuming their hectic lives in Seoul. All the cash they received as wedding gifts were donated to a nursing home in Busan. When she thought about what she accomplished in her career, what she was looking forward to build with Jungkook, Ji Eun only felt joy and excitement. For once, everything in her life felt right. 

🎉💕🐰💕🐰🎉

_**Hello Army !! I hope you're all well.** _

_**I wanted to share a good news with you, I'm sorry if I kept it secret for a time but it was necessary to protect my private life and my loved-ones' security.** _

_**As you might be aware, I was in a relationship with IU sunbaenim. Like many couples, we had our ups and downs and we broke up once last year for a moment before settling our issues and giving ourselves a new chance, away from the public's eyes. Things have been going well since then and sometimes I feel like my heart would burst from all the happiness. It seemed like an evidence for us to take a further step in our relationship after two and half year of dating.** _

_**We pronounced our vows as husband and wife on the 8th september in front of our families and close friends. It was a very special day for us, we had to keep it secret for security purpose but Golden Closet Film will be sharing something special with you very soon.** _

_**Many of my dreams came true, most of them thanks to you Army so I will always feel grateful for your love and support.** _   
_**Another one came true as I married the girl of my dreams whom I feel like I was in love with since I saw her on TV 14 years ago. She is becoming my great source of strength thanks to her bright and caring attitude. And I believe that we can overcome any hardships in our lives if we can stay beside each other.** _

_**I only ask for your kind understanding and support. I'm sorry if this news came as sudden and shocking for some of you. I sincerely hope it won't affect negatively the group. My hyungs are very happy for us and I apologized to them for being the first to get married even though I'm the youngest.** _

_**Army, thank you from the bottom of my heart, you've always been in my eyes the best fans in the world. I hope one day each one of you will experience this kind of happiness too. If it had already happened to you, I hope you understand what I'm talking about. Take care of yourselves and stay healthy.** _

_**I purple you,** _

_**From Jeon Jungkook with love** _

The handwritten letter was accompanied with a wedding picture of Jungkook and Ji Eun, surrounded by the 6 other Bangtan members, all of them laughing after a lame joke told by Yoongi. 


	41. Butterfly

Bangtan Sonyeondan made a comeback as a full 7 members group in november 2023 after RM and JHope's return. They released 3 new songs, promoted and did a world tour in 7 cities for three months before the maknae's line enlistments in february 2024. 

Military service was probably the most bizarre experience he had so far. It wasn't about the intense training, he actually loved that part. He couldn't find the right terms to describe it but the whole thing was sometimes paradoxal. He loved playing shooting videogames but using a real gun and facing the possibility of killing people even if they were ennemies didn't sit right with him. He learned quite a bit about his country's history and the looming North Korean threat. There were times he doubted the exercises they were practicing (some of them were unecessary but nonetheless physically and psychologically tough) nor the humiliation and bullying of some trainees were the best strategies. He voiced his opinion on the matter once to try to improve things and since then the instructor hated him.

Things thankfully went better when he finished his 5 weeks of training and was assigned to a battalion. He was relocated to the 3rd Infantry Division, the famous 'White Skull' Division. It was known to have one the most hardcore training and discipline. Despite everything, Jungkook thrived there as all the workouts and intense training since he was 15 made things easier for him. He made a few friends and his superiors only said positive things about him. However, the lack of freedom and individuality in the long run, the longing he felt for his wife and his "normal life" made it a bittersweet experience.

Ji Eun suffered the most from it: she missed him at home, hated the division's signature haircut, cried for an hour when he told her ex-White Skull soldiers were expected to be at the front line if a war broke out.

He felt bad for being away for almost two years even if he could come home from time to time. Everyone in the infantry shared the same feelings. While they were happy about the way their military service went, they couldn't wait to go home and resume their past lives.

The good thing was the sasaengs were totally gone, no one followed him anymore. Because he didn't have internet connection on the military base, he was away from all the negative stuffs on SNS. He aware he kinda missed out the lovely messages of support too but the overall deconnection felt like a fresh breathe of air. 

The White Skull Division limited the number of fans allowed outside for his discharge to 5000 people. He made a speech to thank the whole infantry, his comrades and the fans who patiently waited for his return.

The first things he did as he went home were to :  
\- kiss Ji Eun and make love to her  
\- call Bangtan members for dinner. It's been a while since the 7 of them were all reunited  
\- call his parents and Jung Hyun to see when they could come to Seoul (they came two days later)  
\- play Overwatch and League of Legends for 4 hours straight   
\- go over his schedule with the new manager Big Hit assigned him. Their comeback as an OT7 group was already planned. He couldn't wait to be on stage again.  
\- call Gdragon to work on a new diss track (the first for him) with Yoongi.

Rapper Jungkook was about to debut and he had a lot of things to say. Years of pent-up frustration and anger from the 3 artists toward the haters, the crazy fans, the k-music industry and all the people who tried to use them resulted in the release of " _Still here"._ Namjoon participated in the production of the song but decided to not feature on it.

Gdragon attacked those who said he was no longer relevant. He talked about the twisted evolution of the music industry, how it was run by people who are greedy with money, image and power and who discard the artists well-beings and talents.   
Suga got real about the corruption, manipulation, but also about the crazy lifestyle and the pressure that made him depressed for years. He denounced the deshumanization of idols who were viewed as investments, money makers and products.   
Jungkook lashed out to the toxic system and the so-called fans that made his life hell since he debuted. It was the first time, he implicitly spoke about his near-death experience and the hate Ji Eun and he received. They knew the 3 of them could get in trouble for speaking up but at this point they just didn't care. It felt liberating to be able to express themselves.

He remembered a conversation he had with Ji Eun a long time ago about changing and improving things in the industry. It was time to do it and making things better for the next generation of idols. Finding a new purpose made his days and life more fulfilling, especially since he got strong support and help from Ji Eun and many other artists.

The first step for him was to work with lawyers to give legal advices and supports to trainees (and their families) or artists who needed it but couldn't afford it. 

The second one was to rally other artists to make pressure on all the agencies to include effective mental health support for all the trainees and artists and fight together against cyberbullying.

He wasn't entirely sure if it could change the broken system but they were at least making baby steps. Better do small things than not doing anything at all.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

They took advantages of their days off in october to fly to the Maldives for some well-deserved relaxing time before the hectic awards season.

" Jagiya come on, get up. The last open session for snorkeling is in 30 minutes. We're gonna be late." He complained

" Go alone, I'm tired " Ji Eun put another pillow under her head and turned her back to him.

" But you're always tired, you said that so many times this week. We didn't go all the way to the Maldives to stay in bed all day. Don't you want to see pretty corals and colorful fishes?"

" Nope, I'm gonna go back to sleep. We're on a vacation. Who said we must do outdoor activities? Go on, enjoy yourself, we'll see each other at the buffet. I heard they will serve grilled lobsters and fried rice. My mouth is already watering."

After an internal debate, he finally went alone to snorkle and had a great time. Ji Eun was still sleeping when he came back two hours later.  
They decided to go fishing for the afternoon, an activity he learned to love thanks to Jin. Ji Eun found it a bit boring but they had fun watching a few dolphins jump from the water.

" Kookie-ah, can we go back to the hotel now? I really need to pee."

" But we didn't catch a fish yet! Jieun-ah I told you before we left we would be gone for at least three hours and there's no bathroom on the boat. Arghh women." He groaned in frustration

" I went to the bathroom before we left. Now shut up and just tell the guide to turn the boat around" she muttered and sat down, leaving her fishpole there.

The last day would be spent in the pool because madam was not in the mood for anything else. He was looking forward to try windsurf but she said no so he gave up. He couldn't spend their entire vacation doing activities alone and leave his wife in the hotel room or in the transat pool all day.

" Wait wait wait" she told him and he turned around to see her fidgeting in her swimsuit.

" What's wrong again?"

" I'm gonna change into another swimsuit. This one piece suit is really tight on my breasts. It hurts. I'm gonna put a bikini or something looser on the chest."

" But you already took 15 minutes to choose that one. " Oh God, this was supposed to be a relaxing vacation but who knew married life was so challenging.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

They were back in Seoul. He was in the middle of arranging his new song on his laptop when Ji Eun scouted closer to him in their bed and dropped the statement that would change their life forever.

" Kookie-ah, I'm not sure but I think I'm pregnant."

He stopped typing on his laptop and looked at her with big eyes.

" What made you think that?"

" I'm cranky, unusually fatigued, my breasts are sore, I want to pee all the time, I gained weight and I missed my period this month."

His mind was still processing the informations she gave. He knew nothing about pregnancies, only the things he saw on TV and in movies. But when he thought about it, Ji Eun clearly was different since a little while: more sensitive physically and emotionally to the point that started to drive him a little crazy (nothing bad though, it was just a bit tiring).

" Wow...I don't know what to say...wow...why am I panicking inside? This is what we wanted. We were looking forward to have a baby."

" I also freaked out when I started to put two and two together 15 mn ago. Let's just see a doctor tomorrow. Can't get our hopes up. I didn't have morning sickness or anything like that. My period has been weird since last month. Maybe it's a false alarm."

Jungkook didn't sleep that night. The thought of having a baby was exhilarating but also terrifying. Would he make a good dad? How is he supposed to raise a child? Is there a handbook for that?

They were both stressed and tried to talk about random things while they waited for the results in the doctor's office: the weather, Jin's engagement, Jong Hoon's promotion, Inna's last drama. The doctor came back and took the seat in front of them.

" Just got the results, congratulations you're 8 weeks pregnant."

Ok take deep breathe Jungkook, calm down, don't cry, don't panick, don't faint. He told himself

" But I had my period last month. I even had the usual cramps from my periods. And there was blood, not as much as usual but I thought it was my period. How come I hadn't realized sooner I am pregnant? " Ji Eun told the doctor.

" After conception, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus. This can cause blood (we call it spotting) and cramps. Women experience pregnancy symptoms differently, there's no general rule for it. Some have very early symptoms, sometimes a person can spend months being unaware they are pregnant. Don't worry about it, ok?"

Ji Eun nodded and asked questions, he tried to keep up with the conversation but his mind was all over the place. They did the prenatal check up right away. He watched in fascination as the doctor pointed out their baby during the ultrasound and they heard the heartbeats.

He was still in daze when they discreetly went to the parking. They just sat in the car, too stunned by the news.

" We're having a baby" Ji Eun said

" Yup we're having a baby" he repeated so the idea could implant itself in his head.

They kept the news for themselves for another few weeks, making sure they went past the risky period of early miscarriage.  
The first person they videocalled to announce the news was Ji Eun's grandmother. The two women cried to the point where they coudn't talk properly. He got reminded of the time where they both cried like this over a false pregnancy rumor while they were on vacation in Jeju. This time it was tears of happiness.

He announced it to BTS members during their weekly dinner in a funny way. He made handmade customized shirts for all his hyungs.

" I got a gift for you" he took the shirts out of his bag and gave one to each member.

" Why? It's no one's birthday." Jimin laughed at him

" Just a little something to thank you all for raising me and for looking out for me for the past 13 years."

Taehyung ripped the paper off and looked at the shirt.

" Why is it written Tae samchoon on my shirt?I'm not that old. I'm still Taehyung your hyung"

" OMG!!!!!" Hoseok fell from his chair when he saw his shirt and understood the message.

" I guess congratulations are in order" Namjoon stood from his chair and hugged him. Jungkook saw in the corner Jin crying while a laughing Yoongi patted the oldest one's back.

" Can someone tell me what's going on ? " Jimin asked a bit confused

" Our baby Kookie is having his own little baby. I'm so happy right now" Jin cried harder

" Jeongmal ??? Wow it's amazing!" Jimin jumped up in excitement. Jungkook looked at Taehyung who was still frozen.

" Hyung, are you okay?"

" Yeah, yeah I'm more than okay, I can't believe you're gonna be a dad and me an uncle. I...I'm so happy, I've always dreamed of seeing all of us with kids" Jungkook wasn't surprised by Taehyung's words. Out of them, Tae might be the most family focused man beside Jungkook himself.

" Me too, it's still so weird in my mind" he hugged Taehyung and also started crying.

" Omo, omo, hajima, why is everyone crying? " Yoongi told them

" Hyung you're crying too" Hoseok pointed out

" Let's order two bottles of the most expensive champagne here. Do you know the gender?" The Daegu rapper asked

" Not yet, but we'll know next month"

" We'll make a bet just like we did when you went on your first date with noona." Jimin suggested

They started arguing with each other, each one claiming his arguments or intuitions were right. Jungkook watched them in amusement.

" I'm telling you it's a boy. Ji Eun noona got a brother, the Jeon family has two boys. Jungkook's dad only has one brother. There's a genetic predisposition for boys." Namjoon argued

" Anyo, I want a little girl to spoil and to teach pranks to make her father lose his hair"

" Thanks Taehyungie, that's really reassuring." Jungkook said, voice laced with sarcasm

In the end team girl with Yoongi, Taehyung and Hoseok won.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

It happened as they started the 20th week.  
" Oww I just felt something. Kookie-ah, I think it's the baby." Ji Eun called him. He ran to the couch to see what she was talking about.

" I can feel it inside, it's a very subtle sensation, as if dozen of butterflies were fluttering in my belly."  
He put a hand on her swollen belly but it was too soon for him to feel anything.

They decided from that day to nickname their little girl 'butterfly'.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

Jungkook lessened his amount of work and tried his best to work from home the last two months of her pregnancy.

He listened to audio books about pregnancies and parenting, watched youtube videos about changing diapers, calming a baby and practiced with a doll. Ji Eun laughed at him the first time but then she joined him and they had fun trying to figure out how to put a diaper, how to assemble a crib and a stroller.

They left their appartement for a bigger house with a garden in UN village.   
He busied himself preparing the nursery exactly the way Ji Eun wanted. He took liberty with the main wall and painted a meadow filled with lilies, daisies and three bunnies (J.J.J.), then added butterflies flying in the sky and an orange sun.

Their little Jeon Jun Hee came into the world on a spring night in may, 15 hours after Ji Eun first had contractions. Childbirth was a terrific experience: he tried to remember and apply the advices given by their lamaze instructor but he still felt helpless in front of Ji Eun's pain.

Despite the gruesome and visually scary delivery experience, the happiness he felt when he held her in his arms for the first time compensated everything.

Jun Hee which meant talented and beautiful in hanja was her mother's carbon copy: from her eyes to her little nose. He was so happy everytime single time he looked at her, he hoped that feeling will never fade.

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

The first four months were difficult. Adjusting to parenthood was not an easy feat but thankfully Jun Hee was a calm baby. She only cried when she needed things (food, diaper change, comforting hugs) and calmed down soon after she got it. They also got help from their mothers and Ji Eun's grandmother from time to time.

He woke up when he heard the little whimpers on the baby monitor. Ji Eun was fast asleep, exhausted by the day and the short night.  
She breastfeeded Jun Hee two hours ago then changed her diaper so it mustn't be that.  
He checked her in her crib and noticed the small sweats on her forehead and neck. He wiped it with a tissue and took her in his arms.

" I know baby, it's hot right? But you got sick from the air conditioning last week so we're still figuring out a solution. Come on, let's open this window and breathe fresh air for a little moment. "

She calmed down after a few minutes of gentle rocking in his arms.

" Time to go back to sleep my little butterfly. I know your mother enjoys singing _Knees_ to lull you to sleep but tonight Appa will sing your song, ok?"

Her eyes looked at him with wonder and he chuckled. Usually he was the one who stared at her in awe, marvelling at her beauty and innocence.

**_Is it true ? Is it true ?_ **   
**You,you**   
**_Neomu areumdawo_ ** **_duryeowo_ **   
**_(You're so beautiful, that I'm scared)_ **   
**_Untrue_ ** **_,_ ** **_untrue_ **   
**_You, you_ ** **_, you_ **

**_Will you stay by my side_ ** **_?_ **   
**_Will you promise me_ ** **_?_ **   
**_If I let go of your hand, you'll fly away and break_ **   
**_I'm scared, scared, scared of that_ **

**_Butterfly, like a Butterfly_ **   
**_Machi Butterfly, bu butterfly cheoreom_ **   
**_Butterfly, like a butterfly_ **   
**_Machi_ ** **_Butterfly, butterfly_ ** **_cheoreom_ **

Jungkook looked at the face of his sleeping daughter, gently caressing the soft, dark hair on her head.

Jeon Jun Hee was definitely the most precious being in their lives and their greatest treasure.


	42. Spring day - the epilogue

Ji Eun mused for three days wherever she should go to the Baeksang Art Ceremony. She was nominated for a Baeksang award - Best actress for her role as a woman facing a burn out and who suffered from verbal abuse and sexual harrassment at work. Her character decided to get revenge after she lost her job and when the justice turned a blind eye. Kang Miyung Dae learned along the way that seeking justice for yourself illegally was not the best path. She met several people along the way who helped her grow and find her true purpose. Jungkook even made a cameo in the drama as a duck meat restaurant owner, an inside joke between the couple.

The darkness surrounding the drama's theme, the complexity of her character and the intensity of the emotions made it one of her most challenging work since My Mister. The drama was a huge hit in South Korea and on international level through Netflix. It was a sensitive subject in her country but also something universal that a lot of people could relate to. Ji Eun was surprised but nonetheless happy when she heard many women and sometimes men took courage and denounced the mistreatments they faced at work. The government even seemed to take a further look, doing more inspection and awareness campaign to make sure companies were implementing a safe working environment.

As soon as the filming and promotion ended, she and Jungkook decided to work more actively on making baby #2. They didn't expect her to get already pregnant one month later.

So here she was with her new dilemma: she was almost 6 months pregnant and wondered if she should go to the award ceremony. Going on a public and mediatized events while you were expecting and huge was not a common thing for celebrities in Seoul. They're also the fact she wanted to protect her privacy. They hadn't made an official announcement about her pregnancy and her appareance on the red carpet would be the talk of the town.

To top things: the ceremony will last three hours, she doubted she could last that long sitting on a uncomfortable chair without having back pain or without making the usual trip to the bathroom.

However her chance of winning her first Baeksang for best actress were huge, she was the winner in all predictions and she really didn't want to miss such a great milestone and moment in her acting career.

She took advices from her friends, Hyori told her to go regardless of people's comments saying Jun Ji Hyun did it once and everything went fine.

Her decision was made when Jungkook pulled a few strings with his friends and managed to:

1) be added as a presenter for the ceremony (he ended up handing the most popular actor award to his friend Yeo Jingoo) but the main purpose for him was to have a valid reason to be present at the ceremony and accompany/reassure Ji Eun

2) to have Ji Eun seated on the side closest to the exit that lead to the nearest bathroom.

Ji Eun's coral Gucci dress was long enough to hide the fact that she wasn't wearing high heels. Her feet were a bit swollen anyway so no heels. The dress flowed over her baby bump and she was glad it allowed her free movements because the baby was restless. Her newly cut short hair felt refreshing on her neck. Despite what her husband said, she always felt the prettiest and the most comfortable with her short hair. She gripped Jungkook's arm as they made their way to the red carpet, the fans and photographers went wild upon seeing them together. She tried her best to stay calm and smile.

" Congratulations" " When are you due?" " You look radiant dear" " Do you know the gender?" " Jieun sunbaenim you're glowing!" " I wish I could look this pretty when I'll be pregnant" "I'm so happy for you!" " How's Jun Hee?" Those were the things her fellow actors and actresses told her.

She looked at the screen in surprise (even if she knew deep down she had a good chance to win) when Park Seo Joon announced Lee Ji Eun as the Best Actress in a drama serial. She hugged Jungkook who sat on her left and Suzy on her right, carefully made her way to the stage and thanked Seo Joon and Yoo Jung.

" Hello, I'm Lee Ji Eun. First of all, I would like to thank all the drama staff for their hard work: from the director, the screenwriters, the make-up artists, the editing, lighting and sound crew to the kind ladies in the cafeteria. This drama taught me there's no small jobs, everyone has a big role to play to help the overall system work. Thank you to my dear husband for his great support and for demonstrating me everyday what love is. And the last but not the least, to every person who went through the same thing as Kang Myung Dae, I hope you'll be brave enough to speak for yourself and do the right thing. I know it's easier said than done as our society is encouraging us to work and endure in silence but you might feel a lot better once you break the silence, say no or walk away from the suffering, the injustice and find the strength in yourself and in other's support to stand up and be true to yourself. Whoever you are, wherever you are, you're not alone. Thank you so much !"

Jungkook rose from his chair to clap for her, followed by Inna, Suzy, Soo Hyun, Jingoo, her celebrities friends and the rest of the audience gave her a standing ovation.

Ji Eun teared up, looking back at her careeer and the hardships she endured for the past twenty years. It was a long way but she was glad she stood her ground and stayed true to her values.  
Her eyes caught Jungkook's and she gave him a bright smile, forever grateful for the blessings in her life.

💜💙🎶🐰🦋🌼💜💙

" Jieun-ah, are you sure we should go? " Jungkook asked Ji Eun who just like him had dark circles under her eyes and was tired because their 15 months old son has been sick for two days. 

" Yeah we'll be fine, Jun Hee is so excited to see the others, we've been very busy and focused on Joo Won lately, I want her to have you all for herself for a day. Moreover we'll feel bad if we cancel at last minute a day of shooting for the crew and Hobi's family. Go on, my mother is coming to help me anyway. You saw it too: Joo Won was feeling much better this morning." she told him with a little smile. There again, he felt really guilty to leave the two at home.

Right on cue, said baby cried, signaling his parents that he needed attention. Poor boy was bedridden for two days and Jungkook could see how it frustrated his son to not be able to run and play around the house like he used to.

" Appa, appa! Wanna see samchoon and baby Huimangie !! Let's go, let's go!" Jun Hee pulled him by his shirt toward the exit.

" Ok, ok" he agreed. By the time he finished putting on shoes and a vest on Jun Hee, his wife came back with Joo Won on one arm and a bag on the other.

" Don't forget Huimang's gift" she gave him the bag

" Oh right! Thanks" he kissed her and ruffled Joo Won's hair who didn't appreciate at all the gesture and screamed "No" to his father.

" Eomma! Ppoppo" Jun Hee looked at her mother expectantly, lips ready. Ji Eun chuckled and approached her cheek so Jun Hee could plant a kiss there.

" What about your brother? Can he get a kiss too?"

" Joo Wonie is a bad baby! He cry, cry, cry a lot. Halmeoni said only bad baby cry." Jun Hee pouted

" He cries because he's sick, darling, he's not a bad baby. It really hurts in his ear so he had no other choice than to cry. How about you give him a big big kiss so he could feel better?" Ji Eun told their 3 years old daughter and put Joo Won on his feet.

" Baby Joo Wonie, get well !" She hugged her little brother and kissed him

" There will be a lot of new uncles and aunts today but you'll be a good girl and be nice to everyone today, okay baby?"

" Ne, eomma!"

" Call me if you need anything ! Bye Jieun-ah, bye Joo Wonie"

" Come on Joo Wonie, say Bye appa! Bye noona"

" Noona! Noona! Bye...bye appa" his little voice said and then waved his chubby hand. Jungkook and Jun Hee waved back and made their way to his car. Buckling the child car seat was always a tricky task but Jun Hee helped him.

He put random songs on the radio and Spring day's first notes filled the car.

" You know this one, right ?"

" Yeahhh it's appa's song !! Bogo sipda..nananananana...bogo sipda." She began messing with the lyrics as they both sang it in the car.

He mentally prepared Jun Hee in the hallway for the presence of cameras. He rang Hoseok's doorbell when she said she was ready.

A Return of the Superman producer greeted them and told them that Hoseok was currently changing Huimang's diaper so they needed to wait a few minutes and then ring the bell again. Jun Hee was slowly getting impatient, not really understanding why they waited and asked about Huimangie. The producer gave them the signal, closed the door and Jungkook waited a few seconds before ringing. Hoseok opened the door with recently one year old Huimang in his arms.

" Hobi samchoon!! Huimangie !! " His daughter yelled, jumping in excitement and rushing through the door

" Hi Jun Hee, what's up Jungkook-ah? Go in, please"

They entered Hoseok's house and changed into comfy slippers. Jungkook noticed the two little tissue houses in the living room that hid the cameraman and spotted the cameras on the table and in the walls. One cameraman was also following their movements in the appartment. Father and daughter settled on the couch and Huimang went willingly into Jungkook's arms.

After long reflection and discussion with Ji Eun, he finally said yes to his hyung for a guest appareance with his kids on an episode of The Return of the Superman. Hoseok's family joined the show two months ago and people were looking forward to see other BTS members but most of all their kids after Yoongi guested on the show to babysit alone Huimang.

Because he got less work during summer and the kids were bored at home without the daycare and kindergarten, he and Ji Eun thought it was best to film at this period.

" Man, you look like you really need to sleep. I saw you last week, you didn't look this tired. You've been working too much lately?" Hoseok asked in concern

" Joo Won got an ear infection. Noona and I barely slept the last two days. That's why I only came with Jun Hee today, he's staying at home with his mother and grandmother."

" Oh poor boy, I hope he'll recover soon enough. It must have been hard for him and for you. I've never seen such an energetic boy, he's always running around, playing, bringing mess. He sure gets that neverending energy from you! He even looks a lot like you, you got the same big doe eyes !"

" Oh yeah, he's a little troublemaker, driving us crazy at home. It's so hard to get him to sleep every night. We always need to be innovative to tire him out during the day so he could go to sleep easily. Sometimes we just run out of idea and then I call Namjoon hyung to get inspirations. He got brillant ideas from time to time. "

Hoseok just chuckled and watched with a big smile as Jun Hee played with Huimang's cheeks and hands.

" Aegi, gyeopta!" The little girl said to the baby boy who laughed everytime she rubbed his cheeks.

" I feel like you're not planning having another child soon."

" Aigoo, no for sure. Two kids are more than enough. Jun Hee was such a calm and easy baby, that's why we were so eager to have another one quickly. Joo Won is very different though: he got so much energy and fire in him. He's in the stage of development where he's really curious about all the objects in the house and likes destroying things. The last thing he broke was Jin's birthday gift for him, you know the musical toy boat"

" Hyung will be so crushed when he'll hear that. He gave one to Huimang, one to Joo Won, Jun Hee and another one to his son Yoosun so our 4 kids could get matching toys. He's trying a little bit too hard and too early to convert the kids to his fishing passion." Hoseok shook his head

Jungkook cooked their lunch while Hoseok watched the kids. He just made a simple fried rice and chicken plus mashed peas.

" What did you draw, sweetie?" He asked Jun Hee, he couldn't really discern the forms on her paper. She looked entirely focused on her drawing, little hand clutching the pencil color and nose very close to the paper. Her cute mouth was open and a little drool fell on the paper.

" A butterfly! I'm the butterfly!" She pointed to the blue lines

" You're right, you are eomma and appa's little butterfly" her bright smile told him that she was happy to hear him say it.

" Appa, bunnies! Draw bunnies, please. I don't know" She looked at him with her puppy eyes, knowing too well he couldn't resist her when she did that. He did as she told : drew two bunnies, added flowers, butterflies and a moon. She squealed with joy everytime he finished a composant of the drawing. Hoseok looked attentively at Jungkook's work progression while he tried to put his son to sleep. When he finished, his reward was a big hug and a " saranghae appa" from Jun Hee.

Huimang was down for his afternoon nap and they used that time to do Jun Hee's first interview in Hoseok's office. She looked around unsure, not familiar with the room but mostly a bit intimidated by the cameras and new people surrounding her.

" Jun Hee-ah, are you alright?" He crouched on her level

" I'm shy" she told him with a pout

" I'll do mine first and you'll stand there with Hobi samchoon and watch me, ok? Then you'll tell me if you want to try. It's okay if you don't want to do this. Appa won't be mad if you say no. "

Jun Hee nodded and Jungkook sat in Hoseok's usual chair, the computer and mixing board behind him. He tried his best to respond to The Return of the Superman's producer questions about balancing his work/schedules as a solo artist, a BTS's member and as a father of 2 kids. The group met one or two times a week for common activities, the rest of the time was used for individual projects.

He was a bit nervous at first to talk about his family for the first time on TV but got more comfortable as the interview continued. With Ji Eun, they discussed a lot about how their status and work would affect their kids. Anonymity for their children was not possible because people recognized IU and JK whenever they were out with or without the kids. You take your child to the dentist or pediatrician, everyone will look at you as you pass through the lobby. Same when they picked up the kids at daycare or just when they went to a store or a restaurant. Jun Hee was slowly trying to understand her parents aren't normal people. She was excited everytime she saw them on TV or when they agreed to show her some music videos. She knew they were singers but was too young to comprehend the notion of fame.

Jungkook kindly asked the spectators to avoid taking pictures when the family was outside or in a private space to respect their privacies and said they should rather check his or IU's SNS instead if they wanted news of the kids. At least on their accounts and here on this show they got control about what they share about their family.

He positioned himself behind the camera and told Jun Hee to look at him when she answered the TROS PD's questions.

" Annyeonghaseyo!" Jun Hee replied when the PD next to Jungkook said hello.

" Can you please tell us your name?" The woman gently asked

" Jun Hee! Jeon Jun Hee " she fidgeted on her chair and looked at her father to see if she was doing the right thing. He tried to reassure her with thumbs ups and silent claps.

" How old are you?"

" Three ! Four !" She tried to show it with her fingers but failed. She was indeed 3 in international age but 4 in korean age.

" What's your mother's name?"

" Eomma " the crew and Hoseok laughed at her cute reply, she looked around smiling, not understanding what was funny.

" What's your father's name? What does people call him?"

" Appa !"

She looked at Jungkook and he tried to mouth his name.

" Jeon Jungkook !!" She yelled. Everyone clapped, she changed position to jump excitedly in the chair and they cut the cameras to let her calm down.

" So what do you like the most in the world?"

" Star candy, jelly, appa, eomma, doggies, my dongsaengie Joo Wonie, halmeoni, tokki tokki (her plushy), pizza"

" Wow that's a lot! And what do you want to be when you grow up?"

She didn't get the meaning so the PD enounced a list of jobs. And Jun Hee chose police officer.

" Why do you want to be a police officer?"

His daughter just shrugged and they concluded the questions.

" Jun Hee-ah, do you want to say something else? Maybe something to your mom and brother"

" Eomma, saranghae ! Joo Wonie don't cry. Noona give ppoppo and Joo Wonie don't cry. Appa? I wanna sing."

" Go ahead! What do you want to sing? " Jungkook asked her

" Appa's song, the car, bogo sipda"

Jungkook sang the chorus once to help her remember then she insisted to sing it alone. They still put the music in the background to help her. His heart melted at her cuteness and at the way she couldn't pronounce some words.

" Nunkkocci tteolololo................meojoyoyo. Bogo sipda, bogo sipda. Eolmana gidayoya.... don't know" her worried eyes looked at him. He went by her side and caressed her cheek.

" You did so great sweetie ! High five! "

Jun Hee gave him a bright smile, satisfied with the praise. The director said cut and everyone clapped. Jungkook showed her how to bow to the crew.

After Huimang woke up from his nap and Jun Hee got a little rest (a 20mn nap), they went to the farm where Taehyung would wait for them.

They clipped the lavalier microphones on their clothes and put Jun Hee's transmitter in a shoulder bag around her.

She ran as soon as she recognized the person walking toward them as Taehyung. A cameraman followed her little steps.

" Tae samchoon, Tae samchoon !" Jun Hee flew right into her favorite uncle's arms.

" Tae samchoon is really happy to see his one and only princess."

" Tae samchoon, bogo sipda "   
Taehyung cooed and hugged her tight against him.

" Kookie-ah, I swear I'm gonna steal your little girl and never give her back."

" Just work on having ones on your own. You're the one who wanted 5 children."   
Taehyung just stuck his tongue at the youngest member and greeted Hoseok and Huimang.

" Hello to our little hope! Looks like he got a new haircut. Definitely looks better than the bowl cut Kookie gave to his son. Poor Joo Won."

They had fun picking up strawberries and feeding animals. Huimang practiced taking baby steps on the grass, Jungkook washed some strawberries for Jun Hee.

The 3 members took a break and discussed about the good old days. It was strange to reminisce their initial struggles and fears when they debuted. Will they make it? How a small group from small company could get attention? Then _I need U_ became the turning point of their career, followed by _Blood_ _sweat and tears,_ then _Spring day_ and _DNA_. _Dynamite_ was the song who completed their dreams by giving them their first #1 spot on the BillboardHot100 and their first Grammy award. A lot of Korean artists paved the way for them before their huge success but BTS changed the game and brought Kpop into a new level on the local and international scale.

💙💜🐰🌼🦋🎶💙💜

The morning sun was illuminating beautifully their bedroom. She fell in love with this house for that reason. In her imagination, a family home was supposed to be warm, bright and full of life.

"Gwenchana? " her hands touched Jungkook's warm skin, tracing down the tattoos on his bare arms. They got a matching tattoo for their first weddding anniversary: the letter J engraved just above their hearts. Jungkook tattooed their wedding date and the kids birthday on his upper arm. Her eyes never left his face as she checked for any sign of distress. She liked the way his brows furrowed when he was concentrated.

" Yeah, I'm fine." Jungkook was still reading the letter Big Hit and Edam received yesterday. Her heart jolted when she recognized the black and silver enveloppe, it brought back painful memories. The content was harmless though. The girl involved in the poisoning affair got released at the end of her sentence and wrote a long apology letter to Ji Eun and Jungkook. The years spent in jail made her reflect about her actions and the new beginning she would take.

" I forgave her a long time ago. I no longer feel resentment or anger when I think about it. She seemed genuinely regretful so I can only hope she learned from her mistakes and will work on being a better person. This whole thing is behind us now, we can only move forward. I made peace with that part of my life when I was constently worried about haters, sasaeng and people's opinion on us."

"I'm glad you found peace, I'm glad we found happiness. I'm glad we met each other, now until the very end." she murmured then kissed him slowly. She gasped when his hands moved up to her waist and he suckled on her neck. The playful smirk on his lips made her smile. This only meant he was up to make her see stars.

Too caught up in their moment, they didn't hear the little footsteps in the hallway and the door open.

"Eomma, appa"

The young parents jumped away from each other, thankfully they still had their sleeping clothes on.

"Hi baby, why are you up so early? Gwenchana? " she asked Joo Won

" Joo Wonie had a nightmare and he woke me up. What were you doing? " 6 years old Jun Hee said behind her little brother.

" Nothing! Appa was just tickling your mother. You know how ticklish she is and I wanted to make her laugh".

"I want tickles too!! " Joo Won ran and jumped in their bed. Jungkook made a way for him between them and soon Jun Hee joined them.

Ji Eun's eyes shined with happiness when she looked at the most important people in her life. Their children's little laughters resonated in the room. Ji Eun couldn't help but feel grateful, Jeon Jungkook honored his promise: he gave her people who welcomed her at the end of a hard day and a home full of love and laughters.

💙💜🐰🌼🦋🎶💙💜

Jungkook had a hard time believing he was 40 years old today. Bangtan Sonyeondan was having the last date of their BTS The Journey - Tour in Seoul Olympic Stadium. Army were present to sing and go through all the hit songs since 2013. The thrill of being on stage and perform in front of thousands of people around the world never faded. The 7 of them despite their not top physical abilities had fun on stage. It felt so good to be reunited and do what they loved the most.

Yoongi and Jungkook worked together in a Big Hit's subsidiary label as solo artists and producers for young talents. Adora and Pdogg helped them on a daily basis. They got the freedom they wanted as music creators and artists. Jimin and Hoseok worked as performance directors and choregraphers for Big Hit. Namjoon was now teaching English litterature at Seoul National University after getting his PHD in Harvard. Jin opened a chain of restaurants with his wife who was a raising chef in Korea. Taehyung opened art galleries in Seoul and Daegu, worked with the private foundation he created in honor of his late grandmother to help poor farming families. The 7 of them were still Bangtan Boys and made several comebacks and tours over the years.

It still amazed him how they managed to stay close even 25 years later. Each one of them had kids now. Joo Won, Huimang and Yoo Sun were bestfriends and went to the same school. He was pretty sure his son had a secret crush on Jimin's eldest daughter. The three boys would sometimes get in trouble for punching kids who tried to bully them at school. It saddened him that some kids would tease and pick on BTS's children because their parents were famous. They had to intervene several times to the school's administration to make it finally stop. Jungkook had never seen Ji Eun being so enraged, same with Jin.

It was Army's time during the concert, he looked in awe as the stands lit up and the Army bombs formed a message: "Happy JK day" while the fans sang Happy birthday.

" There is only one song left, we know you love this one. We have a little surprise for our maknae today!" Jimin told the audience

" JK, promise me you won't cry okay? " Yoongi teased him. Now he was starting to worry: what the hell did they planned?

He heard the beginning of _Spring day_ as the last song for the night and Namjoon did his part.

The lights dimmed in the middle of the stage, he turned around when the crowd gasped, to his grand suprise: Ji Eun appeared on stage to sing Jimin and Taehyung's part.

_**Heogongeul tteodoneun** _   
_**Jageun meonjicheoreom, jageun meonjicheoreom** _   
_**Nallineun nuni naramyeon** _   
_**Jogeum deo ppalli nege, daheul su isseul tende** _

He clearly wasn't ready for the next part as Joo Won and Jun Hee went on stage hand in hand to sing the chorus.

**_Nunkkocci tteoreojyeoyo_ **

**_Tto jogeumssik meoreojyeoyo_ **   
**_Bogo sipda, bogo sipda_ **   
**_Eolmana gidaryeoya tto myeot bameul deo saewoya_ **   
**_Neol boge doelkka, mannage doelkka_ **

_**Chuun gyeoul kkeuteul jina** _

_**Dasi bomnari ol ttaekkaji kkot piul ttaekkaji** _   
_**Geugose jom deo meomulleojwo, meomulleojwo** _

He chuckled, remembering the time when his little girl was not capable of pronouncing the words correctly. He missed those times, it seemed so long ago, when Jun Hee was a toddler and Joo Won followed his older sister like a shadow.

Jungkook's jaw nearly dropped when Joo Won did the rap part with his uncle Yoongi.

The tears kept running down like a torrent on his cheeks as he watched the 9 most important people in his life being on stage together. Army's voices singing with them, filled the huge stadium. He ran towards them, hugged Ji Eun and the kids and together they all sang the last part.

Jungkook looked at Ji Eun's sparkling eyes, pondering about their lives and the happiness they felt at this moment: "I think we've done something wonderful, Jieun-ah!' he whispered against her hair.

It started with a song, a simple but not so simple collaboration between two singers. Then it bloomed into something more meaningful. Jungkook and Ji Eun managed in the end to find and hold on to their sources of happiness.

**THE END**


End file.
